Turbulence in commercial flights has been making headlines more frequently in recent years, with multiple reports of injuries and even deaths occurring due to turbulence. Data from the US Federal Aviation Administration shows that turbulence remains the single biggest cause of injuries on a commercial flight, with 37 passengers and 146 crew members being seriously injured from 2009 to 2023. Turbulence can happen anywhere, but certain characteristics such as flying near mountains can make it more prevalent. New research from turbulence tracking website Turbli has highlighted the most turbulent flight routes in Europe, with many of the top 10 routes passing over or around the Alps.
The most turbulent routes in Europe in 2024 were mostly centered around Switzerland, with Nice – Geneva ranking as the most turbulent route with an eddy dissipation rate (EDR) of 16.07. Turbli uses EDR to quantify the likelihood of turbulence, with anything under 20 considered ‘light’ and between 20 and 40 being ‘moderate’. Extreme turbulence is rare in Europe, and even the most turbulent routes are unlikely to see devastating incidents. In comparison, the most turbulent routes in the world were in South America, primarily over the Andes mountain range. Flying near mountains can cause turbulence due to the interaction between winds and terrain, with disturbances in air currents disrupting an aircraft’s flight path.
Modern aircraft are designed to handle extreme turbulence without becoming damaged, but it is the passengers and crew members who are not secured in their seats that are at risk of injury during turbulence events. Experts believe that turbulence is getting worse due to climate change, with greater temperature extremes and stronger storms making extreme turbulence events more common. The aviation industry is taking steps to keep passengers safe, with the launch of the International Air Transport Association’s Turbulence Aware Platform in 2018. This platform collects data from over 25 airlines and is used to better predict and avoid turbulence.
Pilots rely on sophisticated weather radar systems onboard aircraft to detect and avoid areas of turbulence, as well as reporting real-time information to each other if turbulence is encountered on a route. Despite these efforts, identifying and avoiding turbulent air can still be challenging, especially in the case of clear air turbulence where there are no visual cues. The National Transportation Safety Bureau reports that in 28 per cent of turbulence-related incidents, the flight crew received no warning before hitting trouble. As such, the recommendation for passengers concerned about turbulence is to always keep their seatbelt securely fastened while on an aircraft to ensure safety.
In conclusion, turbulence in commercial flights has become more prevalent in recent years, with a number of serious incidents resulting in injuries and fatalities. Flying near mountains can increase the likelihood of turbulence due to disruptions in air currents, but modern aircraft are built to withstand even extreme turbulence events. Experts suggest that turbulence is worsening as a result of climate change, with stronger storms and temperature extremes leading to more frequent turbulence events. The aviation industry is taking steps to keep passengers safe, with the development of tools and platforms to better predict and avoid turbulence. Despite these efforts, turbulence can still be challenging to identify and avoid, highlighting the importance of always wearing a seatbelt during a flight.
