A cross-country Southwest flight's windshield cracked at 37,000 feet and forced a diversion

"Monday's Flight 2665 took off from Albuquerque around 2 p.m., about 20 minutes behind schedule. It was set to land in Baltimore about three and a half hours later. However, data from Flightradar24 shows that just over an hour into the journey and cruising at 37,000 feet, the Boeing 737 turned south and diverted to Tulsa, Oklahoma. The aircraft involved, registered as N265WN, is over 19 years old."

"In a statement, the Federal Aviation Administration said the airplane landed safely "after the crew reported a cracked windshield." It added that it would investigate the incident. Southwest Airlines said the flight "diverted safely to Tulsa due to a windshield crack." It added that the flight landed "uneventfully," and passengers were put on another airplane to Baltimore. "We appreciate the professionalism of our Flight Crew," the airline said."

"While it isn't yet clear what caused the windshield to crack, those on board would have been at very little risk. Plane windshields are designed with several layers, including tempered glass and other materials, so that they can still function safely in case any individual layer is damaged. Last October, a United Airlines jet saw its windshield cracked by a weather balloon while flying at 36,000 feet."

"Also that month, a government airplane carrying Pete Hegseth U-turned over the Atlantic Ocean after its windshield cracked. The most notorious windshield incident occurred in 1990 when a British Airways pilot was partially ejected from the airplane. The crew held him in place, and he survived with frostbite and so"

A Southwest Airlines flight from Albuquerque to Baltimore diverted to Tulsa after the crew reported a cracked windshield while cruising at 37,000 feet. The Boeing 737, registered N265WN and over 19 years old, changed course about an hour into the trip and landed safely in Tulsa. The Federal Aviation Administration stated the aircraft landed safely after the crew reported the cracked windshield and said it would investigate. Southwest said the flight diverted safely due to the windshield crack and that the landing was uneventful, with passengers moved to another airplane for Baltimore. The replacement aircraft reached Baltimore about four hours later than the original arrival time. Windshields use layered materials designed to remain functional even if a layer is damaged.

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