Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands airports have been targeted in a cyber-attack that resulted in the unauthorized access of personal data belonging to approximately 8.7 million customers.
Manchester Airports Group (MAG), which operates the three airports, said the affected information was linked to services including car park, lounge and fast-track bookings, as well as in-airport Wi-Fi registrations.
The compromised data included email addresses, phone numbers, vehicle registration details and postcodes. However, the company stressed that the affected systems did not contain bank account or payment card information.
MAG also sought to reassure passengers that the incident had not affected airport operations or compromised aviation security.
The company said it acted immediately to contain the breach and is working with cybersecurity specialists and relevant authorities to investigate the incident and strengthen protections for customers and systems.
London Stansted Airport warned affected customers to remain alert to suspicious emails, phone calls and text messages that could attempt to exploit the stolen information. Passengers were advised that the airport would not contact them unexpectedly to request banking or payment details.
The cyber-attack comes during one of the busiest periods of the year for UK airports, as millions of passengers travel during the final weeks of the summer holiday season. Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands airports handled a combined total of around 54 million passengers last year.
The incident also highlights growing concerns over cyber threats facing critical infrastructure and major transport operators. Recent years have seen a series of high-profile cyber-attacks targeting British companies and infrastructure, increasing pressure on organizations to strengthen their digital security systems.
Despite the scale of the data breach, MAG said customer parking services and airport operations continue to function normally, while investigations into the attack remain ongoing.
