UK Police Arrest Man Days After Cyberattack Disrupted European Airports

Last Updated:September 24, 2025, 23:19 IST

A man was arrested in West Sussex for a cyber attack on Collins Aerospace, disrupting check-in at London, Brussels, Berlin, and Dublin airports

A woman points at a flight board at Heathrow Airport as technical snag delays flights. (IMAGE: REUTERS FILE)

A man has been arrested for his alleged role in a cyberattack that had affected the automatic check-in systems at some of Europe’s busiest airports last week.

According to a statement by the UK National Crime Agency, the man in his forties who was arrested in West Sussex, England, on Tuesday evening, was detained on suspicion of Computer Misuse Act offences. He has been released on conditional bail.

Last Friday, aviation company Collins Aerospace was targeted in the cyberattack which disrupted operations at airports in cities including London, Brussels, Berlin and Dublin.

The cyberattack targeted a business that provides check-in and boarding systems to several airlines around the world. This forced airport staff to conduct manual check-in and boarding procedures, Brussels Airport staff said.

On Wednesday, CNN quoted Berlin’s airport as stating that disruption was continuing.

“Given that check-in and boarding are still largely manual, longer processing times, delays, and cancellations by airlines may continue today despite the mobilisation of all available resources,” the airport said, adding that it is working on “alternative solutions to minimize the impact” of the cyberattack on passengers.

Meanwhile, London’s Heathrow said he majority of its flights are “operating as normal”.

Following the arrest of the accused on Tuesday, Deputy Director Paul Foster, head of the NCA’s National Cyber Crime Unit, said: “Although this arrest is a positive step, the investigation into this incident is in its early stages and remains ongoing.”

“Cybercrime is a persistent global threat that continues to cause significant disruption to the UK. Alongside our partners here and overseas, the NCA is committed to reducing that threat in order to protect the British public,” he added.

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