Thirty people were injured after Hawaiian Airlines A330 experienced severe turbulence en route from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) to Honolulu Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) on Sunday. Twenty passengers were sent to the hospital upon landing, according to CNN. Eleven people were in “serious condition.”
The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident.
Serious turbulence resulting in injury is rare, but this incident serves as a reminder that flight attendants and pilots are serious about requiring passengers to fasten their seat belts during flight. It can also lead visitors to question how worried they should be about turbulence. Crashes, drops, and shakes can leave even the most seasoned traveler unsettled.
In one night American Airlines Flight from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) arrive Miami International Airport (MIA)A sense of panic overtook me as turbulence rocked the plane during the first three hours of the flight.
I knew before takeoff that there were hurricanes in much of the southern United States that were producing tornadoes in Texas, so when the flight quickly started to get bumpy, I immediately concluded that it had something to do with the weather. (I also noticed the pilot was flying low enough that I could see the ground for the first few hours of the flight.)
The not-so-easy journey made me think more about turbulence and how passengers can tell when it’s normal — and when something worrisome is likely. So I contacted several aviation experts to get a lower price. Here’s what they say you need to know about turbulence in flights.
What is turbulence?
Justin Franco, a former American Airlines spokesman and self-proclaimed “weather nerd,” says there are two types of turbulence: fresh-air turbulence and convective turbulence.
“The turbulence is clearly caused by the sudden formation of cumulus clouds, jet streams and other weather phenomena,” Franco told TPG. “Convection turbulence is caused by stormy conditions on the ground or in the atmosphere.”
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“Convection turbulence can be much more severe than fresh air turbulence,” explains Franco. “In fact, most severe turbulence incidents occur during hurricanes or other extreme weather events. The wind is not as smooth as the wings of an airplane, but undulating in waves. This causes the air pressure to rise and fall as well, causing sudden movements in the plane.”
Should you worry about turbulence?
I have to admit that, every flight where I had a shock, my blood pressure immediately went up. However, Captain Laura Einsetler, an aviation blogger and commercial airline pilot with over 30 years of flying experience, reassured me that the ups and downs I felt during the flight were nothing out of the ordinary.
“The turbulence is not something to worry about as the aircraft is built to withstand extreme turbulence for long periods of time,” Einsetler said. “This is why the wings bend so that they become dynamic structures. This is similar to earthquake-resistant buildings swaying to bear the load.”
Patrick Smith, a pilot and author of the Ask the Pilot blog, agrees. “For all intents and purposes, an aircraft cannot be flipped upside down, thrown into tail vortex or otherwise thrown from the sky by the strongest winds or air bags. Conditions can be uncomfortable and uncomfortable, but the plane will not crash,” Smith said.
How do pilots handle turbulence?
While turbulence can be common, pilots try to minimize it when possible.
“We work with our aeronautical weather experts and coordinate in addition to using software and Doppler radar to tell us where the turbulence areas are,” Einsetler said. “We route around or plan for a lower or higher altitude which will be smoother.”
Related: Can pilots predict turbulence?
To ease passenger stress and ensure safety, pilots will often issue notices of any expected collisions in flight.
“[Ideally] Einsetler said pilots should issue a PA announcement every 15 to 20 minutes in anticipation of a turbulent area and also during it. “It’s very important that once the seat belt notice has been issued and the seat belt light is on, everyone is seated in their seats with their seat belts fastened and everything secured.”
Even if the pilots do not give notice of turbulence – which was the case during my recent overnight flight – there is usually no cause for concern.
“When communicating with passengers about turbulence, I personally [would] “What I can tell you is that if you’ve ever seen a flight attendant rush down the aisle and return a drink cart faster than you think, it usually means sitting still,” says Franco.
Related: How does the weather affect your flight?
How can you avoid turbulence when you fly?
If you’re still concerned about turbulence, Einsetler says passengers can do a few things to reduce the likelihood of experiencing turbulence in flight:
- Always take your flights in the morning as early as possible because the air is calmest early in the day.
- Fly the biggest jet you can so you feel less impact while in the air.
- When possible, plan your trip in the fall or spring when weather conditions are consistently better.
- If you’re traveling in the winter, try to book flights with routes and connections more southerly to avoid ice and blizzards. For summer travel, book flights with more northbound routes in advance to reduce the chance of afternoon thunderstorms.
- Monitor the Weather Channel or the MyRadar app a day or two before your flight so you can predict any weather issues in the city of departure or destination, at connections or along the route your.
bottom line
It’s not uncommon to experience turbulence as you fly. While it may be unsettling at the moment, there’s no need to panic over bumps in the sky.
Take a deep breath and remember that what you feel is completely normal. Odds are, the temporary discomfort will pass before you know it.
Additional reporting by Clint Henderson.
