Southwest Airlines Has Most Delays Worldwide As Flight 2665 Diverts With A Shattered Windshield

It was a difficult start to the week for Southwest Airlines, as the carrier was the only one to hit four-digit delays on Monday, and a flight was diverted to Oklahoma after an hour in the air due to a cracked windshield. Thankfully, all passengers were unharmed and put on another aircraft following a safe landing.

Flight disruptions have been common as of late, not only for Southwest Airlines but also for the other major U.S. carriers. American Airlines had the most cancellations worldwide on Monday after the FAA issued a ground stop at its major hub, Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, due to weather concerns.

Additionally, Delta passengers faced five-hour delays due to pilot issues. Travelers hope these issues will be resolved. However, Dan Janki, Delta’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, hinted that problems may persist throughout the summer.

“It’ll take us a little bit of time here as we work through it through the summer. And there’s no doubt, when you’re flying more intensive operation, and as you see with weather, some of that will be highlighted more. But we expect to make progress on it as we progress through the summer and through the back half of the year,” he said.

As for Southwest Airlines, the carrier hasn’t run into similar pilot struggles as Delta. But the airline faced troubles of its own on Monday, with higher-than-usual delays.

Southwest Airlines Had The Most Delays On Monday Due To Disruptions At PHX And BNA

To start the week, there were 5,339 delays within, into or out of the United States. According to FlightAware, Southwest Airlines ranked at the very top of the list of airlines with the most delays worldwide. The carrier was the only airline to hit four-digit delays, with 1,132, affecting 26% of its total flight volume on Monday.

Airlines With The Most Delays Worldwide On May 11

A major part of Southwest’s flight disruptions was due to delays at its major hubs, including Nashville International Airport and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. At BNA, Southwest Airlines is the dominant carrier, accounting for more than 50% of the airport’s passenger traffic. On Monday, the airport experienced an increase in delays, with 101 departures delayed, impacting 21% of its total volume.

PHX also saw an increase in delays, ranking fourth among U.S. airports for cancelled flights, with 167 on departing flights.

One Southwest Airlines delay was more significant than the others. A flight between Albuquerque and Baltimore was forced to make an emergency landing in Oklahoma due to a shattered cockpit windscreen.

Southwest Airlines Was Forced To Divert Flight 2665 Due To A Windshield Crack

While cruising at 31,000 feet over Oklahoma en route to Baltimore, Southwest’s 19-year-old Boeing 737-7 sustained damage to its cockpit windscreen, forcing a sudden emergency diversion. The flight had departed from Albuquerque International Sunport at 10:55 a.m. on Monday, in what should have been a standard three-hour flight.

Aviation news source Paddle Your Own Kanoo states that the flight was diverted after just over an hour due to a windscreen crack. Pilots declared an emergency landing right after, diverting to Tulsa.

There were no injuries on board, while passengers were directed to a new aircraft to complete the trip to Baltimore.

A passenger on the flight, George Gonzales, shared his experience on the diverted Southwest Airlines flight.

“They mentioned nothing struck the aircraft, it was just the windshield started cracking, and then it just exploded, so credit to the pilots for landing the plane and getting us down safely,” he tells KRQE.

Southwest Airlines has issued a statement over the incident, applauding its crew for their efforts and ensuring the safety of all passengers on the flight.

How Southwest Airlines Responded To The Cracked Windshield Incident

Southwest Airlines has issued a statement, confirming the event that took place on flight 2665.

“Southwest Airlines Flight 2665 diverted safely to Tulsa due to a windshield crack. The flight landed uneventfully and Customers were reaccommodated to Baltimore on another aircraft.”

The airline added, “We appreciate the professionalism of our Flight Crew. Nothing is more important to Southwest than the Safety of our Customers and Employees.”

Southwest Airlines Current Outlook

As of Tuesday morning, Southwest Airlines isn’t facing any significant issues with its flights. Delays currently stand at 509 for all flights within, into or out of the United States. The airline doesn’t have any travel advisories listed at any of its major hubs.

By all accounts, it should be a smoother day for Southwest Airlines after exceeding 1,000 delays and diverting a flight to Oklahoma due to a cracked windshield.