Quantcast

KLM plane carrying Belgian queen lands safely after windshield crack

KLM plane carrying Belgian queen lands safely after windshield crack
Policy
Webp klm
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Boeing 787 | Wikipedia

A KLM Royal Dutch Airlines Boeing 787, carrying Belgian Queen Mathilde, made a priority landing in San José, Costa Rica, on February 9 due to a cracked windshield. The Queen was traveling for a humanitarian mission as Honorary President of UNICEF Belgium.

The flight KL759, operating from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport to San José Juan Santamaria International Airport, had departed at 13:13 and landed safely at 16:56 local time, slightly ahead of schedule. KLM confirmed the incident stating, “Last Sunday, flight KL759 made a priority landing at San José due to a damaged windshield of unknown cause. The safety of passengers and crew was not compromised. All passengers for the return flight (KL760) have been rebooked to another flight.”

Royalty journalist Wim Dehandschutter noted that passengers were unaware of any issues during the flight. Despite the cracked windshield necessitating a priority landing, aircraft windshields are designed with multiple layers to maintain structural integrity.

Get the Newsletter
Sign-up to receive weekly round up of news from Sky Industry News
By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By providing your phone number you are opting in and consenting to receive recurring SMS/MMS messages, including automated texts, to that number from our short code. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to end. SMS opt-in will not be sold, rented, or shared.

The affected aircraft, PH-BDH, is a nine-year-old Boeing 787-9 with over 44,000 flight hours. The return flight was operated by another aircraft, PH-BVN, a ten-year-old Boeing 777-300ER. It remains unclear how long PH-BDH will be grounded.

Cracked windshields in aircraft are not uncommon and do not always lead to emergencies. These windshields consist of multiple layers capable of withstanding significant forces during flights.

Recently, similar incidents have occurred with other airlines such as Jet2 and All Nippon Airways (ANA), where flights were diverted or returned safely despite windshield cracks.

Organizations Included in this History
More News

United Airlines is set to expand its Premium Plus cabin in response to increasing demand for premium economy seats.

Jul 19, 2025

Emirates, the leading operator of Airbus A380 superjumbo jets, continues to find success with this aircraft as a flagship of its fleet.

Jul 19, 2025

An Antonov An-124 aircraft, owned by Antonov Airlines, has departed from Kyiv, Ukraine, after being grounded for over three years.

Jul 19, 2025

An Air China Airbus A350 and an SF Airlines Boeing 767-300ER were involved in a near-miss incident over Russian airspace.

Jul 19, 2025

Airbus is set to start equipping fuselages for its A321 aircraft in China.

Jul 19, 2025

For over five decades, the Boeing 747 has captured the attention of aviation enthusiasts and professionals.

Jul 19, 2025