A Thai Airways flight bound for Bangkok was forced to return to Shanghai on Wednesday (4 Nov) after the pilot discovered a crack in the cockpit windshield.
Flight TG663 landed safely back at Shanghai Pudong International Airport, with no injuries reported among passengers or crew.
According to Thai PBS, Thai Airways said Flight TG663 departed Shanghai at 8.08am local time for Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport.
During the flight, the pilot reportedly detected a crack on the left side of the cockpit windshield.
The captain subsequently decided to return the plane to the departure airport in accordance with safety procedures.
Thai media reported that the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner circled before returning to Shanghai and dumped fuel to reduce its landing weight.
Source: flightradar24.com
However, Thai Airways did not mention the fuel-dumping procedure in its official statement.
Thai Airways said it arranged accommodation for affected passengers and crew following the turnback.
Source: Thai Airways on Facebook
It also coordinated with partner carriers to transfer passengers who needed alternative travel arrangements.
Additionally, Thai Airways said it would deploy larger aircraft for flights TG662 and TG663 on Thursday (5 Nov) to accommodate affected travellers.
The airline apologised for the disruption and reiterated that passenger and crew safety remains its highest priority.
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Featured image adapted from Skytrax.