Jan 1st 2026 : An Air Canada Boeing 787-8 operating a transatlantic flight from Canada to the United Kingdom landed safely at London Heathrow after the crew reported damage to the aircraft’s windshield while en route.
The aircraft, registration C-GHQY, was performing flight AC-888 from Ottawa, Ontario (Canada) to London Heathrow (UK), having departed on December 31, 2025. As the aircraft was nearing London during the cruise phase, the flight crew declared PAN PAN with air traffic control, reporting that the outer pane of the First Officer’s windshield had shattered.
Despite the damage, there was no loss of cabin pressurization and the aircraft remained fully controllable. The crew elected to continue to their destination and the Boeing 787 landed safely on runway 27R at Heathrow without further incident.
Official Statement
Canada’s Transportation Safety Board (TSB) later confirmed the details of the event, stating:
“During cruise, the crew declared a PAN PAN with EGLL ATC, due to a First Officer’s shattered windscreen outer pane and due to possible icing conditions below FL100. No cabin pressure issues reported, and the aircraft landed safely in EGLL without further incident.”
Aircraft Status
Following the incident, the scheduled return flight was cancelled to allow for inspection and repairs. The aircraft remained on the ground at Heathrow until January 3, 2026, after which it returned to service.
No injuries were reported among the passengers or crew. The occurrence highlights the multi-layered design of modern cockpit windshields, which allows safe flight continuation even after failure of an outer pane.
