Air India on September 20, 2025, issued a travel advisory warning passengers about possible check-in delays at London Heathrow Airport due to a cyberattack on a third-party service provider.

The attack has disrupted electronic check-in and boarding systems at major European airports including London Heathrow, Brussels, and Berlin.

Air India urged passengers flying from London Heathrow on Saturday to complete their web check-in prior to arriving at the airport to reduce inconvenience. The airline's ground teams at Heathrow are working actively to mitigate the disruption.

The cyberattack took place late on Friday, September 19, targeting Collins Aerospace's Muse software used widely for check-in, boarding, and baggage drop-off processing.

Collins Aerospace, a subsidiary of RTX Corp., confirmed the disruption of its electronic passenger processing systems at several airports and is working to resolve the issue promptly. The attack forced airports to revert to manual check-in and boarding procedures, causing extensive delays and cancellations.

Brussels Airport reported at least 10 flight cancellations and 17 delays exceeding one hour, with significant operational impacts on a day scheduled for around 35,000 departing passengers.

Airport staff had to manually process check-ins and boarding, leading to longer queues and wait times. Similarly, Berlin Brandenburg Airport experienced longer waiting times due to the system outage, with teams working to restore normalcy as quickly as possible.

London Heathrow, the busiest airport in Europe, announced delays affecting departing flights relying on Collins Aerospace systems. Passengers were advised to check flight statuses before travelling and to arrive no earlier than recommended—three hours before long-haul flights and two hours before domestic flights. Staff at Heathrow have been deployed to assist passengers and minimise disruption during the outage.

Authorities and airlines across affected airports have not provided a timeline for the full restoration of electronic check-in and boarding services. The incident highlights the vulnerability of airport operations to cyber threats, as this single service provider supports multiple major airports across Europe.

The cyberattack on Collins Aerospace's check-in and boarding software caused a widespread operational breakdown at multiple European hubs on September 19-20, 2025, including:

Forced manual check-in and boarding processes at Heathrow, Brussels, and Berlin.
Delays and cancellations of dozens of flights, especially at Brussels.
Advisories urging passenger web check-ins and checking flight status pre-arrival.
Active efforts by Collins Aerospace and airport teams to restore normalcy.
No defined timeline yet for a full return to automated service.

This incident has created notable travel disruption and highlighted cyber risks against critical aviation infrastructure in Europe. Passengers are advised to stay updated via airline announcements and adhere to recommended early airport arrival times for the time being.