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Southwest Flight Diverts to BWI After Bird Strike

The diversion triggered a brief ground stop at BWI, requiring re-accommodation of passengers on a different aircraft to Houston.

FILE - A Southwest Airlines plane pull into a gate at Pittsburgh International Airport in Imperial, Pa., Thursday, March 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)
WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 17: Smoke from massive wildfires in Canada and Minnesota engulf the Washington, D.C. skyline, reducing visibility and casting a colored haze over the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on July 17, 2026 in Washington, DC. Authorities are continuing to monitor for unsafe conditions as air quality alerts are in effect across a vast portion of the United States. (Photo by Finn Gomez/Getty Images)
{p}Security Checkpoint D/E and the terminal roadway at BWI Airport has reopened Friday following a law enforcement investigation that determined an unattended bag was not a threat, an airport spokesperson confirmed to FOX45 News. (WBFF){/p}
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Overview

  • Southwest Flight 1379 departed Reagan National and experienced a bird strike shortly after takeoff on Tuesday afternoon, according to the FAA and airline statements.
  • The crew circled over southern Maryland to assess the plane before diverting to Baltimore/Washington International, where the Boeing 737 MAX-8 landed uneventfully at about 3:24 p.m.
  • Southwest said pilots followed company safety procedures and passengers were moved to a separate aircraft to continue to Houston Hobby.
  • BWI imposed a brief ground stop after the landing, a temporary operational disruption that affected airport movements while crews handled the diverted flight.
  • Aviation authorities and flight-tracking services corroborated the timing and routing, and experts say bird strikes commonly prompt precautionary diversions so crews can inspect aircraft and protect passenger safety.