An Air Canada flight from Toronto to London was forced to land in Halifax early Thursday after its windshield cracked.

Four hours into Air Canada flight 862, pilots noticed the cracked window when the flight had already passed over Newfoundland.

Air Canada flight 862 had passed Newfoundland before it turned back. (flightaware.com)

Air Canada said it was not an emergency landing, just a diversion. The airline was attempting Thursday morning to organize a new plane to get several hundred passengers to their destination.

Two soldiers on their way to Afghanistan told CBC news they had to borrow a telephone to inform their commanding officer they would be late getting to their destination.