MAG Confirms Customer Data Breach at Three UK Airports
Manchester Airports Group confirmed that an unauthorized third party obtained some customer data. The incident did not affect airport operations or payment information.
MAG data breach affected customer information used for services at Manchester, London Stansted and East Midlands airports. Manchester Airports Group (MAG) confirmed on August 27 that an unauthorized third party obtained some data related to parking, airport lounges, Fast Track reservations and airport Wi-Fi registrations.
The company said the exposed data included email addresses, phone numbers, vehicle registration numbers and postal codes. MAG also claims that neither the compromised system nor the group itself stored customers’ bank or payment information.
MAG data breach did not affect airport operations
According to the operator’s statement, the incident did not affect airport operating systems, passenger safety or aviation security. The airports and parking services remain operational.
After discovering the incident, MAG restricted access to the affected systems, brought in external cybersecurity experts and notified the relevant authorities. It also temporarily disabled the online Manage My Booking service.
The company says it contacted affected customers directly. In its communications, it warns them about the risk of phishing emails, text messages and phone calls in which attackers may impersonate the airport or a reservation service.
What data could be misused
Although MAG has not reported a leak of payment information, the combination of contact details, postal code, vehicle registration number and links to specific airport services could assist targeted fraudulent communications. Messages might, for example, refer to parking, Fast Track, a lounge or a reservation, making them appear more credible than typical mass phishing.
Customers should be particularly cautious with unexpected requests to change a reservation, pay an additional service fee or confirm information. When in doubt, they should avoid opening links in messages and check their reservation status by going directly to the airport’s official websites or using a known contact.
The full scope of the incident is not yet public
MAG did not state the number of affected people in its public announcement. However, based on the company’s communications with customers, Computer Weekly reported approximately 8.7 million affected people. This figure therefore cannot yet be considered publicly confirmed directly by MAG.
The attacker’s identity, method of intrusion and timing of the systems’ compromise are also unknown. It has not been publicly confirmed whether the data reached the internet, was offered for sale, or whether the incident included future reservation dates and additional data fields beyond the categories named by the operator.
Further information may come from confirmation of the scope by MAG or the relevant authorities, possible technical details from the investigation and the restoration of the Manage My Booking service. It will also be important to see whether subsequent fraud campaigns emerge using the data or themes related to the services of the three airports.
Sources
- Manchester Airport / Manchester Airports Group – Primary confirmation of the incident, the categories of data obtained, the absence of payment information, unaffected operations and the measures taken.
- Computer Weekly – Independently reports approximately 8.7 million affected people and corresponds with the publicly confirmed data categories.
- BleepingComputer – Corroborates MAG’s confirmation that customer data was stolen, without operational disruption; notes that the number affected was not publicly confirmed by the company.
Verified and updated: 08/27/2026 20:14
