Hackers steal data of 8.7 million customers from three UK airports

A cyber-attack on Manchester Airports Group (MAG) has exposed the personal data of about 8.7 million customers across Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands airports, the company confirmed on Thursday. The compromised information includes email addresses, phone numbers, vehicle registration numbers and postcodes linked to car park, lounge and fast-track bookings, as well as in-airport WiFi sign-ups, according to MAG.

MAG said it became aware of the breach on Tuesday and immediately contained the risk, restricting access to affected systems and engaging specialist cybersecurity advisers. The company said it had informed the relevant authorities, including the Information Commissioner's Office, which is assessing the incident.

The hackers demanded a ransom for the return of the data, which MAG refused to pay, the group told the BBC. The ransom amount was not disclosed. MAG said the identity of the hackers was known and had been passed to authorities.

The company stressed that no passenger safety or aviation security had been compromised, and that the hacked system did not hold bank or payment details. Airport operations remained unaffected, with flights running normally and customer parking services continuing to operate.

In an email to customers, London Stansted urged vigilance against follow-up scams. "We would urge you to be particularly cautious of unexpected emails, calls or text messages claiming to be from us," the airport said. "We will never contact you unexpectedly to ask for payment or banking information."

Customers express alarm as breach hits peak travel season

The attack struck during the peak summer travel season, with many families returning to the UK before the school year. Michael Goddard, 71, from Cheshire, told BBC Radio Manchester that he and his wife Julie, 68, had both received breach notification emails from MAG.

“I was shocked. To find your personal info has been stolen - it is alarming. My information has gone and I don't know what they're going to do with it.”

: Michael Goddard, customer affected by the breach

Goddard said he had travelled from East Midlands Airport earlier this year and his wife had used Manchester Airport's online parking booking service. He added that he was not fully reassured by MAG's statement and wanted compensation if anything happened.

Lauren Wills-Dixon, a partner at law firm Gordons, said the scale of the attack was notable because airports hold large amounts of customer data through services such as lounge access, parking and WiFi. She said the increased use of technology only heightens the threat of cyber-attacks.

The breach comes amid growing pressure on national infrastructure operators to strengthen cyber-defences. Last year, flights were disrupted at three major European airports, including Heathrow, after a cyber-attack on check-in software. Earlier this month, the government blamed Iran-linked hackers for a temporary shutdown of a British power plant.

MAG has set up a dedicated webpage with FAQs for affected customers and temporarily suspended online access to its Manage My Booking service as a precaution. The company said all upcoming bookings remain valid and passengers should continue to travel as normal.