Air New Zealand Flight Makes Mid-Flight U-Turn due to Windscreen Damage

Air New Zealand’s Flight NZ99, en route to Tokyo International Airport (TYO) on June 19, 2023, encountered windscreen damage, compelling the aircraft to return to Auckland Airport (AKL) for repairs.

The incident occurred approximately 3.5 hours into the flight when the Boeing B787 aircraft, with registration ZK-NZJ, was in the vicinity of Port Vila, Vanuatu. FlightRadar24’s playback captured the moment the plane changed course and headed back to Auckland.

Air New Zealand’s Chief Operational Integrity and Safety Officer, David Morgan, explained that the outer layer of the windscreen sustained damage. Although aircraft windows are designed with multiple layers for durability, the airline follows standard operating procedures to prioritize passenger and crew safety. Thus, the decision was made to return to Auckland Airport, allowing their maintenance team to conduct the necessary repairs.

The six-year-old Dreamliner, delivered to Air New Zealand in September 2016, safely touched down at AKL Airport slightly after 15:00 local time.

This is not the first instance of an Air New Zealand flight executing a safety U-turn. In July 2022, flight NZ287, a cargo flight, diverted to Auckland from Christchurch Airport (CHC) to Shanghai International Airport (PVG) due to a minor windscreen abrasion. Similarly, in January 2022, flight NZ1082 bound for Guangzhou International Airport (CAN) had to divert to Hong Kong following a cockpit windshield crack.