A Thai Airways flight bound for Bangkok was forced to return to Shanghai after its pilot discovered a crack in the cockpit windshield during the journey.
The incident involved Flight TG663, which departed Shanghai Pudong International Airport on Wednesday (4 November) at around 8.08am local time.
Despite the unexpected technical issue, the aircraft landed safely back at its departure airport, with no injuries reported among passengers or crew.
Pilot Discovers Crack During Flight
According to Thai Airways, the aircraft was operating a scheduled service from Shanghai to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport when the captain noticed a crack on the left side of the cockpit windshield.
Following the discovery, the captain decided to turn the aircraft around and return to Shanghai in accordance with established aviation safety procedures.
The aircraft involved was a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.
Flight tracking information reportedly showed the plane circling before making its way back to Shanghai Pudong International Airport.
Thai media outlets also reported that the aircraft dumped fuel before landing to reduce its weight. This procedure can be used in certain circumstances to bring an aircraft’s landing weight within the required safety limits.
However, Thai Airways did not confirm whether fuel dumping took place in its official statement.
Passengers Provided With Hotel Accommodation
Following the unexpected return, Thai Airways arranged hotel accommodation for affected passengers and crew members.
The airline also worked with partner carriers to help passengers who required alternative travel arrangements reach their destinations.
To manage the disruption, Thai Airways said it would deploy larger aircraft for flights TG662 and TG663 on Thursday (5 November) to accommodate affected travellers.
The airline subsequently apologised for the inconvenience caused by the incident.
Aircraft Windshield Cracks Taken Seriously
Cracks in an aircraft’s cockpit windshield are treated as a serious safety concern because the windshield plays an important role in protecting pilots from external conditions and maintaining cabin pressure.
Modern commercial aircraft are designed with multiple layers of specialised windshield material, allowing them to withstand significant pressure differences and demanding flight conditions.
Nevertheless, any suspected damage must be assessed carefully by the flight crew. Depending on the severity and location of the damage, pilots may decide that returning to the departure airport or diverting to another suitable airport is the safest course of action.
In this case, the decision to return to Shanghai allowed the aircraft to land safely, while the airline made alternative arrangements for affected travellers.
Thai Airways reiterated that the safety of its passengers and crew remains its highest priority.