Virgin Atlantic Flight Makes Emergency Turnaround After Cockpit Windscreen Cracks at 40,000 Feet

Photo : Reuters

A Virgin Atlantic flight originating from London's Heathrow Airport en route to San Francisco encountered a distressing incident when the outer layer of its cockpit windscreen cracked midair, compelling the Boeing 787-9 to initiate an immediate return. The aircraft was approximately three hours into its journey, flying at 40,000 feet between Greenland and Iceland, where temperatures outside plummeted to -58 degrees Celsius.

The cause of the crack remains uncertain, with aviation experts ruling out a bird strike due to the high altitude. Virgin Atlantic reassured passengers that the affected layer was non-structural and designed to withstand wear. Nevertheless, concerns over potential cabin decompression understandably arose among those on board.

In response to the incident, the airline promptly apologized for the disruption and arranged accommodation for passengers. They resumed their travel to San Francisco the following day after alternative arrangements were made.

Stay informed with the latest news. Follow DXB News Network on WhatsApp Channel   

This incident comes amidst a series of recent issues involving Boeing aircraft. Separate incidents involving Southwest Airlines included significant altitude drops, one during descent into Oklahoma City and another over the Pacific Ocean en route to Hawaii, flying just 400 feet above the water. Additionally, a United Airlines flight from San Francisco to Oregon experienced an external panel detachment from a Boeing 737-800 in March. These incidents have heightened scrutiny over the safety and reliability of Boeing's fleet.

#trending #latest #VirginAtlantic #Boeing787 #FlightSafety #AviationIncident #CockpitCrack #LondonToSanFrancisco #AirlineSafety #AircraftIssues #BoeingSafety #breakingnews #worldnews #headlines #topstories #globalUpdate #dxbnewsnetwork #dxbnews #dxbdnn #dxbnewsnetworkdnn #bestnewschanneldubai #bestnewschannelUAE #bestnewschannelabudhabi #bestnewschannelajman #bestnewschannelofdubai #popularnewschanneldubai

SeaWorld Yas Island and the Yas SeaWorld Research & Rescue Center have received accreditation from the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA), becoming only the...Read More.

Authorities were first alerted in March by food inspectors. After months of surveillance, they arrested the pizzeria's manager at his residence, uncovering a dr...Read More.