Nearly nine million holidaymakers' personal data was stolen following a cyberattack targeting three major UK airports. The breach, which occurred last weekend, compromised email addresses, phone numbers, vehicle registrations, and postcodes of travelers who used Manchester, Stansted, and East Midlands airports.
The owner of the airports, Manchester Airports Group (MAG), confirmed the incident and stated that the data obtained relates to car park, lounge, and fast-track bookings, as well as in-airport Wi-Fi sign-ups. MAG emphasized that no bank or payment details were accessed and that passenger safety and aviation security were not compromised. Flights and airport operations remain unaffected.
The company has reported the incident to the National Cyber Security Centre and the Information Commissioner’s Office. MAG has stated it is working with specialist advisers to secure its systems and protect customers.
It is understood that the majority of the compromised data was limited to customer email addresses associated with Wi-Fi sign-ups within the airport terminals. Approximately 8.7 million passengers are believed to have had their details stolen. MAG has apologized for any inconvenience or concern caused by the breach.