No doubt geese ( and some other birds) can fly this high. I read
somewhere
the record was 37,900 ft . But my question is why did the aircraft only
descend to FL280? With a cracked windscreen and the risk of
depressurisation wouldnt it have been more prudent to descend to 10,000 ft
and avoid scaring the pax with the oxygen masks dropping out of the
roof?.
terry

It depends on what the aircraft operations manual says... if only the outer
pane is cracked.. descend to xxx altitude... that will depend on the
strength of the inner pane.

BT