British Airways flight windscreen cracked by block of ice at 35,000 feet; lands safely

A block of ice that fell from another plane flying 1,000 feet cracked the windscreen of a British Airways flight. As the Boeing 777, flying from London's Gatwick to Costa Rica in Central America, was flying at an altitude of 35,000 feet, an ice block struck its windshield, reported The DailyMail. The pilots of the British Airways flight with the damaged windshield managed to fly the plane into San Jose, where the repairs were done. 

Ice block shatters plane's windscreen heading to London from Costa Rica

The time taken for the repair of the windshield resulted in a delay of 200 passengers who were heading to London from Costa Rica for Christmas eve. Flight BA2236 was due to leave San Jose for Gatwick on December 23 and the passengers had been told to expect a 90-minute delay, as per the DailyMail report. However, due to the shattered windscreen, the plane needed specialist repairs. The flight was rescheduled for the following evening as the flight was delayed by at least 50 hours and they left only on Boxing day. 

Jo Mitchell and Geir Olafsson had been on honeymoon in Costa Rica and had planned to return to Edinburgh via Gatwick in time for Christmas. Mitchell told the Independent that they had tried to find a connecting flight, however, the British Airways app showed a four-hour delay, while the flight was delayed till the next day. They waited in queues with others for four hours and they were told the plane had cracked windshield and required repair. She added that the people were crying at the airport as they could not celebrate Christmas with their family. 

Passengers share experience

The passengers were brought to a hotel for the night and were then taken back to the airport on Christmas Eve for a planned 10 pm departure, as per the Independent report. However, they arrived to find that efforts to divert a plane from Jamaica to pick them up had failed as the crew were at the end of their permitted working hours. A passenger named Alice Hill tweeted, “The BA2236 from San Jose saga continues, 1h30 sat on the Tarmac as the ground staff failed to count who exactly is on the flight. BA cabin crew are excellent and as frustrated as us. Merry Christmas.” BA2236 finally left 50 hours late at 8:35 pm on Christmas Day and arrived in London shortly after 12 pm on 26 December. British Airways spokesperson expressed a 'heartfelt apology' to passengers. 

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