Half of Monday flights cancelled at Brussels

Brussels Airport has asked airlines to cancel half of their scheduled departures for Monday September 22, as Europe’s aviation sector continues to grapple with the fallout from a major cyberattack that struck on Friday. The disruption stems from problems with a check-in system run by Collins Aerospace, whose software update was compromised in the incident.

On Sunday, 75 flights were cancelled and the airport announced that nearly 140 flights due to depart on Monday would not go ahead, representing about half of its planned schedule. The decision was taken to reduce congestion and manage the limited operational capacity created by the technical failure. Airlines and passengers have been urged to check the status of their flights before travelling to the airport.

The cyberattack has rippled across several European hubs, including Heathrow in London and Berlin Brandenburg, causing widespread delays and cancellations over the weekend. Brussels, however, appears to have been among the hardest hit, with officials confirming that check-in operations remain only partially functional. The airport authority said the measure to cut Monday’s schedule was necessary to ensure safety and to avoid overwhelming ground staff. The disruption has affected both passengers and airlines. Travellers reported long queues, delayed boarding, and confusion as flight schedules were repeatedly altered. Some passengers were forced to stay overnight in hotels or seek alternative connections. Airlines have warned that the knock-on effects could continue into the week, with many struggling to rebook thousands of stranded passengers.

Authorities are working with Collins Aerospace to restore full service, though the company has acknowledged that providing a secure update is taking longer than anticipated. The precise nature of the cyberattack has not been fully disclosed, but officials confirmed that it was a targeted breach which disrupted systems crucial to passenger processing. The Belgian government has urged calm while stressing that security and safety are being prioritised. European aviation regulators are monitoring the situation closely, aware that the scale of the disruption raises questions about the resilience of airport IT systems against cyber threats.

For now, travellers heading through Brussels face continued uncertainty. Airport officials have said they regret the inconvenience but emphasised that cutting Monday’s flights was the only way to maintain manageable operations. With the cause of the cyberattack still under investigation, passengers across Europe are bracing for further turbulence in the days ahead.