Windscreen crack diverts Jetstar flight

A Jetstar flight from Sydney to Bali was diverted to Melbourne after pilots spotted a windscreen crack.

A cracked windscreen has forced the diversion of a Jetstar flight, two hours into its trip from Sydney to Bali.

Flight JQ37 was just north of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory on Wednesday night when the crack was observed in the windscreen of the Boeing 787-8.

The decision made to divert to Melbourne because of the engineering support available.

A Jetstar spokeswoman said there was never any threat to the safety of passengers and crew, with the crack having no impact on the structural integrity of the aircraft.

Cockpit windows are made of multiple layers of high-impact material and only the outside layer was cracked in this instance.

“The decision was made to return to Melbourne as a precaution where the windscreen could be fixed quickly to prevent further delays,” the spokeswoman said.

“Passengers were provided with overnight accommodation in Melbourne and we’re arranging an alternative flight to ensure they resume their journey as soon as possible. We sincerely apologise to our customers for the delay.”

It is not clear what caused the crack but engineering inspections hoped to shed further light on the issue.

On Tuesday, a Qantas aircraft was forced to turn back to Perth Airport after a birdstrike, the second in a fortnight.

Flight QF772 took off from Perth for Melbourne about 11.20am on Tuesday but the Boeing 737 returned within an hour after the birdstrike.

On September 6, a Qantas A330 struck an eagle during takeoff from Perth and also returned after fears it may have damaged the engine cowling.

Birds have the potential to do significant damage to aircraft engines, as evidenced by the 2009 Miracle on the Hudson, in which a flock of geese took out both engines of an A320.

The aircraft managed to land on the Hudson River and all passengers and crew evacuated safely.