FAA Investigating Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 Cracked Windshield Incident
The aircraft has since been repaired and has returned to service.
simpleflying.comI don’t have live tooling access in this turn, but I can summarize the latest widely reported updates on cracked-windshield incidents involving Southwest Airlines flights.
Core update
- In May 2026, multiple Southwest flights experienced cracked windshields midflight, prompting diversions or emergency landings. FAA confirmed the incidents and said crews landed safely with no injuries, and passengers were rebooked or rerouted. Southwest stated that safety is the priority and that affected flights diverted to alternate airports and passengers were rebooked onto new aircraft as needed.[2][3][4][5]
Key details you might find relevant
- The aircraft involved in the May 2026 events were Boeing 737s, with at least one instance involving flight 2665 diverting to Tulsa, OK, while another involved a Baltimore-bound flight diverting earlier in the journey.[5][2]
- In the May 2023 incident, a Southwest flight from Honolulu to San Diego diverted back to Honolulu after a cracked windshield was detected midflight; the outer pane crack was described as affecting the windshield’s multi-layer construction, but the crew landed safely and there were no injuries [ source snippet]. This older case demonstrates the recurring nature of such events, though each incident has its own operational context.[7]
What this means for travelers
- If you’re booked on a Southwest flight, expect possible midflight diversions or unscheduled landings if a windshield issue arises; in all publicly reported cases, FAA and airline communications emphasized prioritizing safety and rebooking affected passengers onto alternate flights or aircraft.[2][5]
- The FAA typically investigates these events and issues updates on findings and any recommended actions or repairs for the fleet.[2]
Would you like me to pull the most recent official FAA or Southwest statements and summarize them, or create a quick timeline of these incidents with dates and outcomes? I can also look up current travel advisories or advisories from New Jersey-area travelers if you’re planning a trip.