British Airways A320neo bird strike on Heathrow departure, flight continues to Azores
A British Airways Airbus A320neo struck a bird on the first officer's windshield during its climb out of Heathrow, and the crew opted to press on to Ponta Delgada rather than return.
A British Airways Airbus A320neo bound for the Azores suffered a bird strike shortly after leaving London Heathrow Airport on Saturday, October 10, 2026.
The aircraft, registered G-TTNW, departed Heathrow Terminal 5 at 12:30 BST as flight BA534, a scheduled service to João Paulo II Airport in Ponta Delgada. The bird struck the first officer's windshield during the initial climb.
After the impact, the crew ran standard procedures and weighed whether to turn back or press on. Pilots contacted British Airways operations to find out whether maintenance support would be available at Ponta Delgada, or whether an immediate return to Heathrow was needed for safety inspections.
Conditions were reported as stable and support was confirmed at the destination, so the crew continued the Atlantic crossing. The aircraft landed safely in Ponta Delgada 3 hours and 26 minutes after departure.
No injuries were reported among passengers or crew. Ground engineers at Ponta Delgada examined the windshield and the surrounding structure before clearing the aircraft for further operations.
London → Ponta Delgada
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Sources
- airlive.netA British Airways A320neo reported a bird strike on the first officer-side window on takeoff from Heathrow