The Air New Zealand-operated Boeing 787-9, registration ZK-NZH, sustained a cockpit window rupture while en route from Christchurch to Guangzhou on January 26, 2022. The captain decided to make a safety landing in Hong Kong.
With flight number NZ1082, Air New Zealand operated a cargo flight towards Guangzhou with this Dreamliner. The course was completely normal and without abnormalities. The pilots then noticed a serious crack in the windshield over the South China Sea near the Philippines. For security reasons, it was then decided to land at Hong Kong Airport.
On request, the company confirmed that a cockpit window had broken. It is emphasized, however, that this consists of four layers and was not completely broken through. There was therefore never any danger to the machine or the crew. As a precaution, the captain decided to make a safety landing in Hong Kong.
The ZK-NZH was about six years old at the time of the incident. The carrier operates a total of 14 Boeing 787s. According to its own statements, it has never had any problems with the aircraft involved.