A United Airlines flight bound from Denver to London faced a diversion to Chicago following the discovery of a crack in the Boeing 787’s windshield.
Diversion and Landing
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner altered its route approximately one hour into the transatlantic journey, as per data from Flightradar24. It landed at Chicago O’Hare International Airport about an hour later.
Safety Concern and Response
A United spokesperson confirmed that the diversion was due to a crack in one layer of the aircraft’s multilayer windshield. Passengers were accommodated in hotels overnight and rebooked on alternate flights to London the next day.
Aircraft Information
FAA records show that the Boeing 787 involved in the incident was registered eight years ago.
Similar Incidents and Repairs
This isn’t the first instance of a Dreamliner encountering a cracked windshield. In December, a Norse Atlantic flight experienced a similar situation between Orlando and London, requiring a 50-hour repair period.
Regulatory Scrutiny
United Airlines has faced heightened scrutiny from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in recent times. In March, the carrier’s corporate safety VP informed employees about increased regulatory attention from the FAA. Bloomberg reported that the FAA had restricted United from endorsing or promoting pilots for different aircraft models and was considering more severe measures like halting new flight route additions.
Previous Maintenance Issues
The incident follows other maintenance-related problems for United, such as a Boeing 777 experiencing a tire detachment. Additionally, a recent transatlantic flight had to return after a toilet malfunction led to cabin leakage.
