Does accepting 'Just before 8:14, it had climbed to 26,000 feet, not quite its initial assigned cruising altitude of 29,000 feet.' as true logically compel one to accept 'It reached its initial assigned cruising altitude several minutes past 8:14.'
Just before 8:14, it had climbed to 26,000 feet, not quite its initial assigned cruising altitude of 29,000 feet.###It reached its initial assigned cruising altitude several minutes past 8:14.