Major airports across Europe have been hit by a ransomware RTX cyberattack that disrupted operations and caused major travel delays. London Heathrow, Berlin Brandenburg, and Brussels airports reported issues with passenger check-in systems.

Cybersecurity experts revealed that the attack forced flight cancellations and widespread disruptions. The European Union’s cybersecurity agency ENISA confirmed the hack targeted Collins Aerospace, a subsidiary of RTX. ENISA reported it was a ransomware attack but did not reveal the source.

The outage affected check-in and baggage drop services since Friday. Dozens of flights were impacted.

Rafe Pilling, Director of Threat Intelligence at Sophos, reported that most ransomware activity remains focused on extortion through data encryption and theft.

Ransomware is malicious software that locks data until a ransom is paid. Attackers usually avoid targets that could draw law enforcement attention.

Christian Perry, CEO of Undetectable AI, revealed that hackers now use AI to launch faster and smarter operations.

• AI scans for system weaknesses in minutes.
• It mimics normal user behavior to avoid detection.

Perry warned this type of attack could target hospitals, banks, public transport, and emergency services. However, he noted AI can also defend against such threats by detecting patterns, finding risks quickly, and stopping attacks before they spread.

Airports have urged passengers to check flight status before traveling. They advised arriving two hours early for Schengen flights and three hours for non-Schengen routes. Brussels Airlines announced its systems were not affected and advised travelers to check in online.

Consumer group Testachats reported passengers whose flights were canceled are entitled to a free alternative or full refund. However, financial compensation is excluded because the incident is classified as force majeure. Airlines remain responsible for providing meals or accommodation during long delays.

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