Photo: 123rf Turbulence and Air Travel: Recently, several incidents have occurred where passengers were injured due to air turbulence, often referred to as 'air pockets', during flights.
The latest incident occurred yesterday on a Ryanair flight to Milan. Over the past year, similar events also happened with Lufthansa and SAS, and many remember the victims, including a passenger who was killed on a Singapore Airlines flight from London to Singapore. Most injuries were a result of passengers not remaining seated and buckled throughout the flight.
All these incidents and injuries were caused by the shaking of airplanes due to air turbulence. The question arises: has this phenomenon worsened recently and why?
Most agree that the phenomenon itself has not increased. The number of flights has grown, hence the number of incidents has increased, but modern and advanced aircraft typically handle air turbulence with ease. However, some argue that global warming and various climate phenomena are affecting air currents and increasing the scale and intensity of turbulence.
Air turbulence is essentially a disruption in the airflow along the flight path, causing the aircraft to shake and potentially resulting in temporary loss of altitude.
The air, in constant motion, aids the aircraft's movement. For a plane to fly smoothly, the airflow over and under its wings must be steady. Certain weather events can cause irregularities in this flow, creating air pockets or turbulence along the flight path, leading to shaking and vibrations.
Different airflow events can lead to turbulence, and though the subject has been extensively researched at various levels, it appears to be inevitable, connected to the weather, different atmospheric phenomena, and specific flight routes. It is also worth noting that every pilot embarks on their flight equipped with up-to-date and detailed information about the weather along the route.
A flight through turbulence occurs when the aircraft encounters disrupted airflow during flight. According to aviation authorities, there are four levels of turbulence: light, moderate, severe, and extreme. In light turbulence, the aircraft does not shake and passengers feel nothing. There are slight shakes in moderate turbulence, while in higher levels, the aircraft shakes intermittently, with possible pauses between jolts. At every level, passengers are asked to remain buckled in their seats, refrain from opening overhead compartments, and avoid carrying heavy objects.
Usually, air turbulence is brief, corresponding to the extent of irregular airflow over and under the aircraft. Despite the discomfort, which can cause concern and even panic among some passengers during significant shakes, the crew of advanced aircraft will reassure passengers and manage the temporary phenomenon.