Tokyo-bound SIA flight diverted to Taipei due to cracked windshield

SINGAPORE - A Singapore Airlines (SIA) flight that was headed to Tokyo on Oct 27 was diverted to Taipei, after a windshield cracked mid-flight.

An SIA spokesperson said Flight SQ636 “landed uneventfully” at Taiwan’s Taoyuan International Airport at around 4am on Oct 28.

There were 249 passengers and 17 crew members on board the Boeing 777-300ER.

“Hotel accommodation was arranged for the affected customers where necessary,” said the spokesperson.

The flight had departed from Changi Airport at 11.16pm on Oct 27, and was scheduled to land at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport at 6.20am on Oct 28, according to FlightRadar24. The flight, which has been renumbered to SQ9876, will depart from Taipei for Haneda at 8.30pm on Oct 28.

“SIA sincerely apologises to all affected customers for the inconvenience caused,” the spokesperson said. “The safety of our customers and crew is always our top priority.”

Aviation expert Kok Wah Chow told ST that airlines may divert or ground a plane with a cracked windshield as a precaution, and that it is often not a cause for concern.

“The windshield is very strong. It is about 5cm thick. It’s main structure is acrylic, a very strong substance,” said Mr Chow, a former airline executive with over 30 years’ experience in the aviation industry.

Factors like ageing and production quality can cause a crack on the windshield’s outer layer, he said.

Mr Chow added that a major fleet of airplanes may experience one case of a cracked windshield every few years.