Is turbulence dangerous?
The moment that worries people most on a plane is usually that sudden bump. Knowing what it is makes the feeling smaller.
What is turbulence?
Air flows like water, even though we can't see it. When layers of air move at different speeds, when warm air rises, or when wind spills over a mountain, small waves and eddies form. As the aircraft passes through them it rises and dips a little. That's what you feel: like a car rolling over an uneven road.
What causes turbulence?
- Jet streams: bands of fast wind at cruising altitude. Along their edges, layers of air move at different speeds, so it can get a little bumpy even in clear skies.
- Clouds and warm air: air rising from sun-warmed ground causes light chop at lower altitudes, especially in the afternoon.
- Mountains: wind ripples behind a mountain range as it crosses it.
- Takeoff and landing: near the ground, wind swirls around buildings and terrain; a few light bumps in the last minutes are very common.
How are the aircraft and crew prepared?
Airliners are designed with these movements of the sky in mind. The wings flexing slightly in flight is part of that design; a flexible wing softens the bumps.
Before takeoff, pilots see turbulence forecasts along the route and reports from aircraft ahead of them. If needed they change altitude or shift the route a little. Cabin crew are trained for these moments too: clearing the carts early and switching on the seatbelt sign are part of it. It's a routine precaution, not an alarm.
What to do when it gets bumpy
- Keep your seatbelt fastened whenever you're seated, loosely even when the sign is off.
- Drop your shoulders, put your feet on the floor, and let the seat carry you.
- Breathe slowly: in through your nose for 4 seconds, out through your mouth for 6. A long out-breath slows the body down.
- Look at a glass of water: the surface ripples, but the water stays put. The movement you feel is much smaller than it seems.
Why knowing ahead helps
Knowing when a bumpy patch will come and how long it will last takes away the surprise. Enter your flight number in SafeSkies and it shows the turbulence forecast along your route minute by minute: “About 10 minutes of light bumps 40 minutes after takeoff, then calm.” When that moment arrives, you already know what it is.
