KUWAIT CITY, Jan 13: In a recent incident, a passenger plane operated by Japan's largest airline, All Nippon Airways, (ANA) had to return to its departure airport following the discovery of a crack in the cockpit window, according to reports by the news agency Reuters, citing local media. The affected flight, numbered 1182, was en route from Sapporo to Toyama when the cockpit window issue was identified, as reported by Kyodo News. The aircraft, identified as a Boeing 737, safely returned and landed at Sapporo's New Chitose Airport.

Fortunately, none of the 65 passengers or crew members on board sustained any injuries, as confirmed by the airline. To accommodate affected passengers, alternative flight arrangements were promptly made.

A spokesperson for All Nippon Airways assured the public that the identified crack did not impact the flight's control or pressurization systems. Importantly, the aircraft involved was not one of Boeing's 737 MAX 9 airplanes, which have recently faced scrutiny following an incident where a cabin panel detached from a new Alaska Airlines jet mid-flight last week.

In response to safety concerns, the US aviation regulator has decided to extend the grounding of Boeing 737 MAX 9 airplanes indefinitely for additional safety checks. The Alaska Airlines incident involved a plane that had been in service for just eight weeks, departing from Portland. Despite the detachment of a cabin panel at 16,000 feet, pilots successfully returned the jet to Portland with only minor injuries reported among passengers.