UK airline crew discover 'two missing windows' after plane reaches 14,500 ft

In what could have led to "serious consequences", an aeroplane with two missing windows, which had taken off from Stansted Airport in London had to quickly fly back after reaching an altitude of 14,500 ft.

The flight had 11 crew members and nine passengers when the incident took place on October 4. 

According to a report published by Independent, the Airbus A321 jet had to return to Essex Airport after a crew member discovered mid-air that two of its side windowpanes were missing and two others were out of position. The crew took the decision to return after the flight ahd ben 36 minutes in the air.

in a specially released bulletin, the UK's Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said in its report that an inquest has been launched into the incident. According to the AAIB, it could have resulted in “more serious consequences”.

“Whereas in this case the damage became apparent at around FL100 (10,000 feet) and the flight was concluded uneventfully, a different level of damage by the same means might have resulted in more serious consequences, especially if window integrity was lost at higher differential pressure,” the AAIB report said.

The Orlando-bound plane, operated by Titan Airways and used by US-based luxury holiday company TCS World Travel, took off on 4 October with 11 crew and nine passengers on board. Incidentally, a crew member walked towards the backside of the plane when he found the seal around one of the windows “lapping”. Upon closer inspection, windowpanes of two side windows were found missing and two others out of position.

He reported it to the crew and the plane was flown back to safety. According to AAIB report, the plane was used for filming for which powerful lights were used close to the plane to “give the illusion of a sunrise”. The long exposure to high-voltage light beams up close caused the windowpanes to come unstuck, said the AAIB report.