Manchester Airports Group says hackers demanded ransom in data breach
MAG, owner of Manchester, Stansted and East Midlands airports, said hackers sought a ransom after accessing customer data for about 8.7 million people, a demand it refused.
Manchester Airports Group (MAG) says hackers demanded payment in exchange for data taken during a cyber security incident disclosed on August 27, 2026. MAG operates Manchester Airport, London Stansted Airport and East Midlands Airport.
According to MAG, the intrusion exposed personal details of roughly 8.7 million people linked to car park, lounge and fast-track bookings, as well as in-airport WiFi sign-ups. Exposed information reportedly included email addresses, phone numbers, vehicle registrations and postcodes. No bank or payment card details were involved.
A MAG representative told the BBC that a ransom had been requested for the return of the data and that the company refused to pay. The representative said the identity of those responsible was known, and that relevant authorities had been notified.
In a statement, MAG said it moved quickly to contain the incident and has been working with specialist cyber security advisers. Once the breach was discovered, the company restricted access to the affected systems.
MAG said passenger safety and aviation security were not compromised at any point. The breach caused no operational disruption, the company said, despite happening over the busy UK August Bank Holiday weekend. MAG apologized to customers for any inconvenience, and said its data protection team is overseeing the ongoing response.
No further details have been given about how the breach occurred or the scale of any financial demand.
Sources
- aerotime.aeroManchester and Stansted owner claims hackers demanded ransom during cyber-attack