A targeted cyberattack hit on the night of Friday, September 19th. It crippled check-in operations at nearly every major European airport, including Heathrow, Brussels, and Berlin. The attack laid bare the vulnerability of the technical systems used to operate and maintain essential airport functions. These systems integrate passenger data, baggage information and screening needs into a single electronic system. This logistical integration is enormously important, given that airport operations cannot have hiccups.
The ramifications of this cyberattack were felt almost immediately across the entire continent. As systems went down, passengers were left facing major delays and confusion at several airports. These systems are deeply connected. If just one location suffers a breakdown, it can start a domino effect and cause operational challenges from Heathrow to Berlin in a matter of minutes.
The Role of Digital Systems in Airport Operations
The high-tech digital check-in systems used by airports such as Heathrow, Brussels and Berlin are essential for smooth and easy airport operations. They do everything from allowing airports to manage passenger lists, share baggage information, and meet security rules. Together, this integration helps automate and simplify the passenger check-in process, enabling airports to flexibly reallocate staff and resources based on active flight traffic.
As we’ve seen with reliance on some of the large infrastructure providers, creating such systems can lead to vulnerabilities. A bug in the software can lead to massive chaos at thousands of connected intersections all at once. The recent cyberattack underscored these risks as the interconnected nature of the systems led to compounded issues when one airport experienced a breakdown.
Yet, the model these systems are built on is not very flexible and increases costs. This is especially the case in markets with high carrier count. This high level of complexity raises the risk that a failure, big or small can bring operations to a staggering halt. Further back, in December 2020 a bad CrowdStrike patch triggered a worldwide IT meltdown. This occurrence not only brought flights across the United States to a standstill, but highlighted huge weaknesses.
Impacts of the Cyberattack
In terms of the raw impact of the cyberattack, it was most acutely felt by the hundreds of thousands of travelers who suddenly couldn’t check in to their flights. Sans their digital tools, long lines formed as airport staff were left to deal with the chaos. Thousands of passengers waited in line only to be delayed further as the system they were forced to use struggled to process their PVSA records.
With all this uncertainty, airlines had to revert to manual check-in procedures, drastically bogging down operations. Staff found it nearly impossible to offer appropriate support to thousands of confused and frustrated travelers. They were unable to get very basic information like passenger data and missing baggage records.
Besides all the negative passenger experience, airlines were wary of the financial ramifications of regular delayed flights and therefore, missed connections. The cascading effects of the system failures illustrate how critical these digital frameworks are to maintaining not only efficiency but customer satisfaction.
Addressing System Vulnerabilities
That accident has, understandably, led to vigorous discussions within the aviation industry as to whether the infrastructure in place is sufficient. Experts suggest that enhancing cybersecurity measures and diversifying system providers could mitigate risks associated with relying on a few key players.
Building more flexible and resilient digital models will additionally help them to better respond to real-world conditions during peak traffic hours or unexpected detours. Airports need to bring in around-the-house backups to avoid slowdowns and keep public confidence high. These systems can come online immediately if the main ones go down.
