Cyber Attack Paralyzes European Airports, Causing Chaos at Brussels Hub

Initially, Brussels Airport communicated that the impact would remain "limited" for travelers, assuring that it had not received any information about delays directly related to this breakdown. However, this statement contrasted with the information available on the airport’s own website, which was already reporting numerous flights with arrival delays, which inevitably had an impact on the departure time of these same aircraft.

The nature of the incident was later clarified. It was a "cyber attack" carried out during the night of Friday against the service provider managing the check-in and boarding systems. Brussels Airport is not the only one affected, the attack having affected several European airports. The service provider "is actively working on the problem and trying to resolve it as quickly as possible".

The consequences for Saturday, September 20 are direct and significant. The incident has "a wide impact on the flight schedule and will unfortunately cause delays and cancellations". Faced with this situation, the airport has issued strict recommendations to passengers. They are asked to check the status of their flight with their airline before going to Zaventem, and to go there only if the flight is confirmed. For travelers whose departure is maintained, it is recommended to arrive two hours in advance for a flight within the Schengen area and three hours for other destinations, while following the airport’s information channels.