What's happened
As the busy Labor Day weekend approaches, travelers face significant disruptions due to cyberattacks and strikes affecting airports in the UK and Portugal. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport continues to struggle with a cyberattack, while British holidaymakers are warned of potential delays due to ground handler strikes in Portugal.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to Axios, the ongoing cyberattack at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport has left many systems offline, leading to significant operational challenges. Employees have resorted to manual processes, highlighting the severity of the disruption. Meanwhile, The Independent reports that British travelers to Portugal face potential delays due to ground handler strikes, with the Transport Workers’ Union indicating that the situation could lead to severe constraints at major airports. The anxiety among travelers is palpable, as noted in the World Nomads Travel Anxiety Report, which reveals that a substantial portion of British travelers are concerned about flight disruptions. This sentiment is echoed by Jonathan Frankham from World Nomads, who emphasizes the stress caused by such uncertainties.
How we got here
Recent months have seen a rise in cyberattacks targeting critical infrastructure, including airports. The CrowdStrike outage in July caused widespread flight cancellations, and now, strikes in the UK and Portugal threaten to exacerbate travel disruptions during peak holiday periods.
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