Kelowna International Airport (YLW) experienced a security breach Tuesday evening when hackers gained access to its flight information screens and public address (PA) system, briefly broadcasting pro-Hamas messages and Arabic audio across the terminal.The incident occurred around 5:15 p.m., disrupting passengers and causing confusion in the departure area. According to airport officials, the unauthorized messages displayed “Hacked By Mutariff Siberislam” and included political statements referencing the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. The hackers’ message also directed viewers to a social media account linked to similar cyber incidents in other countries..Phillip Elchitz, YLW’s director of operations, said staff quickly neutralized the intrusion and restored most systems. “Aircraft continue to operate,” Elchitz stated to CBC. “We do know that other airports have reported having the same issue. We don’t have all the details yet, but this is being reported by multiple airports.”While flight operations continued, some departures were delayed as crews worked to bring the airport back online. The YLW website showed delays to flights bound for Victoria and Prince George. As of Tuesday evening, the airport confirmed the flight information display system had been restored, though work to bring the PA system back remained ongoing. Ground staff used megaphones to communicate with passengers in the interim..In a statement, the airport apologized for the disruption and encouraged travelers to check directly with their airlines for up-to-date flight information. “We are experiencing some delayed flights,” the release said. “We apologize to our passengers for this inconvenience.”Passengers described confusion and unease during the roughly two-and-a-half-minute broadcast. Some reported hearing profanity aimed at U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.The group claiming responsibility for the hack appears to have previously targeted public systems internationally, including a billboard in Peru and a restaurant in Mexico earlier this year..Authorities are investigating how the hackers gained access to the airport’s systems. YLW officials say the breach was limited to its information and communication systems, with no indication that flight safety or air traffic control were affected.Operations at the Kelowna International Airport have largely returned to normal as the investigation continues.
