During Sunday's flight from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) to Honolulu's Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL), a Hawaiian Airlines A330 encountered significant turbulence, injuring thirty-two passengers.
According to CNN, 20 people were sent to the hospital after landing.
In "severe condition" were eleven people.
A probe into the incident is being conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration.
While it is uncommon for severe turbulence to cause injuries, this incident serves as a reminder that flight attendants and pilots mean it when they urge passengers to wear their seat belts the whole journey.
It might also prompt people to wonder if they should be concerned about turbulence at all.
Even the most experienced travelers may feel the rocking, drops, and bumps.
As the plane was shaken by turbulence for the first three hours of a nighttime American Airlines flight from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Miami International Airport (MIA), I started to feel panicky.
When the flight began to become choppy, I instantly assumed it was due to the weather because I was aware before takeoff that storms were brewing across most of the southern United States and were generating tornadoes in Texas.
For the first few hours of the flight, I could see the ground since the pilot was flying low enough, I also observed.
My thoughts on turbulence and how passengers might determine when it's normal and when it can be cause for alarm increased after the unpleasant flight.
In order to learn more, I got in touch with a few aviation industry professionals.
According to their advice, you should be aware of the following before flying.
What is turbulence?
Clear-air turbulence and convective turbulence are two different types of turbulence, according to former American Airlines spokesperson and self-described "weather nerd" Justin Franco.
"Jet streams, cumulus clouds, and other weather phenomena all suddenly form, causing clear-air turbulence," said Franco.
Stormy weather on the ground or in the air is the main cause of convective turbulence.
Convective turbulence, according to Franco, "may be far more severe than clear-air turbulence."
In reality, storms and other severe weather occurrences are when severe air turbulence incidents occur most frequently.
The wind flow rises and falls in waves because it is not smooth like an airplane.
As a result, the air pressure fluctuates, which creates jerky movement in the aircraft.
Should you be concerned about turbulence?
I'll be honest: Every time there is a jolt on a flight I'm on, my blood pressure spikes.
The ups and downs I experience when flying, though, are nothing out of the norm, as Captain Laura Einsetler, a commercial airline pilot with more than 30 years of flying experience, reminded me.
Turbulence shouldn't be a worry because the aircraft are designed to survive strong turbulence for extended periods of time, according to Einsetler.
"Due to their flexibility, wings are dynamic structures.
This is comparable to buildings that can withstand earthquakes yet sway under force.
Pilot Patrick Smith, who also writes for the Ask the Pilot blog, concurred.
"A plane cannot, for all intents and purposes, be turned on its side, sent into a tailspin, or otherwise driven from the sky by even the mightiest gust or air pocket.
Despite the bothersome and uncomfortable circumstances, the aircraft will not crash "Added Smith.
"Although it is a bothersome turbulence for everyone, including the crew, it is also, for lack of a better word, usual.
How do pilots deal with turbulence?
Pilots still strive to reduce turbulence when they can, despite the fact that it may be widespread.
"We use software and Doppler radar that shows us where the areas of turbulence are, in addition to coordinating with our airline weather experts and dispatch," Einsetler added.
We take other routes or make plans for gentler ascents or descents at lower or higher heights.
The captain would normally make an announcement about any anticipated bumps throughout the flight to calm passengers' concerns and assure safety.
According to Einsetler, "[ideally] pilots should issue PA announcements every 15 to 20 minutes both before and during a turbulent area."
"It is vitally important that everyone remain in their seats with seat belts fastened and belongings secured when the seat belt announcement has been made and the seat belt lights are on."
There is typically minimal cause for alarm, even if the pilots don't make announcements about the turbulence, as was the case on my most recent overnight journey.
Franco stated, "I myself [would] much prefer to have the captain of a flight be concentrating on the potential issue at hand when it comes to speaking with passengers about turbulence.
What I can tell you is that it usually signifies to remain seated if you ever see a flight attendant sprint down the aisle and bring back the beverage cart more quickly than you ever imagined it was possible.
How can you fly without experiencing turbulence?
If you're still concerned about turbulence, Einsetler suggested a few things travelers can do to lessen the likelihood of running into it when flying:
• Since the air is smoothest earlier in the day, always book the earliest morning flights.
• Fly the biggest aircraft you can so you won't experience as many bumps when flying.
• Plan your travels for the fall or spring whenever you can because those are the seasons with the best weather on average.
• In order to avoid ice and snowstorms, attempt to arrange wintertime flights with more southern routes and connections.
To reduce your chances of running into afternoon thunderstorms, book planes with more northerly itineraries for summer travel.
• A day or two before your flight, keep a watch on the Weather Channel or the MyRadar app to be prepared for any weather-related concerns in your departure or destination city, during any connections, or on your route.
In conclusion
Turbulence is a common occurrence when flying.
There's no reason to freak out about those bumps in the sky, despite the fact that they can be disturbing at the moment.
Breathe deeply and keep in mind that everything you're feeling is normal.
It's likely that the momentary discomfort will pass quickly.
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