Manchester Airports Group (MAG) has confirmed that a cyber security incident affecting three major UK airports—Manchester, London Stansted, and East Midlands—has exposed the personal data of approximately 8.7 million customers. The group stated that an unauthorised third party gained access to customer information, but stressed that airport operations and aviation security were not compromised.
What Data Was Accessed in the MAG Cyber Incident
The data accessed includes customers' email addresses, phone numbers, vehicle registration numbers, and postcodes. MAG clarified that the majority of the affected data was linked to email addresses provided when customers signed up for Wi-Fi services at the airports. The company also confirmed that neither its own systems nor the system accessed by the attacker contained customers' banking or payment details.
In a statement issued on Thursday, August 27, a MAG spokesperson said: “Manchester Airports Group has been subject to a cyber security incident by an unauthorised third party. A quantity of customer data has been obtained that relates to car park, lounge and fast track bookings and in-airport wifi sign-ups at Manchester, Stansted and East Midlands airports. We immediately contained the risk and have been working with specialist advisers and taking appropriate steps to protect our customers and systems.”
MAG Response and Impact on Airport Operations
The spokesperson added: “We have informed and are working with the relevant authorities. At no point has passenger safety or aviation security been compromised. The incident has not resulted in any operational disruption. Airport operations remain unaffected and customer parking services continue to operate normally.”
MAG emphasised that it takes the security of customer information extremely seriously and apologised for any inconvenience or concern caused. The incident has been reported to relevant authorities, and the group is working with specialist advisers as the response continues.
Scale of the Affected Airports
Manchester Airport handled more than 32 million passengers last year, while around 30 million travelled through Stansted and approximately four million used East Midlands Airport. The data breach affects a significant portion of these travellers, highlighting the scale of the incident.
The group has not disclosed the identity of the unauthorised third party or the exact timeline of the breach, but confirmed that the risk was immediately contained upon discovery. Customers affected by the incident have not been individually notified yet, but MAG is working with authorities to address the situation.
