British budget airline EasyJet says hackers have gained access to details of around nine million of its customers in what it calls a “highly sophisticated” attack.

In a statement, the airline said affected customers would be contacted in the next few days.

EasyJet said a forensic investigation had found that hackers accessed credit card details for just over 2,200 customers, and action had been taken to contact and support these people.

Phishing

The airline said there was no evidence that any personal information had been misused, but the UK’s Information Commissioner had told it to contact affected customers about protective steps to minimise any risk of potential phishing.

EasyJet chief executive Johan Lundgren apologised to the customers involved, saying the airline took cyber security very seriously and had robust security measures in place. “However, this is an evolving threat as cyber attackers get ever more sophisticated,” he said.