Hackers’ Attack Causes Flight Cancellations: What Is Known About the Major Disruption at Aeroflot

Due to a hacker attack on Aeroflot’s information systems, there was a serious disruption — dozens of flights were canceled, including three flights from Moscow to Minsk.

On July 28, the display boards at Sheremetyevo Airport showed almost all flights in red with the message "canceled." This marks a major system failure at Aeroflot, Russia’s largest state airline, primarily operating flights from Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport.

System failure at Aeroflot caused by hacker attack

The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office announced that a criminal case has been initiated under the article for unauthorized access to computer information.

In the first half of the day, over 50 flights were canceled. The majority of affected flights were domestic, as well as flights to Astana and Minsk. To prevent crowding, the airline asked passengers to leave Sheremetyevo airport. Many travelers were shocked, especially those on layovers, with no alternative options available in Moscow.

At Sheremetyevo, passengers on planes waited for hours for sorting and loading their luggage. Due to the system failure, airport staff had to perform these tasks manually.

Aeroflot stated that specialists are doing everything possible to restore normal operation of their services as quickly as possible. Passengers with canceled flights can request refunds or rebook their tickets once the system is back online.

The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office confirmed that the system failure was caused by a hacker attack, and a criminal case has been opened.