What Triggers Turbulence During Flights?

Flying can naturally induce fear. After all, humans have evolved to walk on two legs, not to soar through the skies. This lack of a biological inclination for flight makes discomfort during air travel completely understandable. Those minor movements and types of turbulence that wouldn’t faze a bird can feel entirely unfamiliar to us.

Fortunately, humans possess advanced cognitive abilities, which are crucial for overcoming anxiety related to turbulence. Here’s an overview of what causes turbulence and what to keep in mind for your next flight.

What is turbulence experienced during flights?

Turbulence occurs due to a sudden alteration in airflow. It is characterized by air swirling in eddies and currents, similar to the movement of water.

Airplane turbulence can arise from various factors, such as air movement over mountains or changes in weather caused by nearby storms. However, the most common type of turbulence is not alarming: it’s known as “clear-air” turbulence, which happens when cool and warm air masses collide. The effects on airplanes are classified as light, moderate, severe, or extreme. In an interview with the Points Guy, commercial pilot and AskThePilot.com host Patrick Smith states, “80 percent of turbulence [in] commercial aircraft experience is light.” In fact, Smith has never encountered extreme turbulence in his career and has only faced severe turbulence a handful of times.

How much passengers perceive these airflow changes varies depending on the size of the object affected. Ranging from microscopic particles to hurricanes, “air at all scales is filled with lots of these vortices,” explains Bret Tobalske, associate professor of Comparative Biomechanics at the University of Montana. A vortex must be approximately the same size as the object it influences to be felt. These vortices can also occur at ground level; however, the wind isn’t usually strong enough to cause noticeable effects on people. When it does, “that’s telling you that the turbulence, the scale of those circulating eddies, are about [human] sized,” Tobalske adds. Consequently, airplanes encounter turbulence when they interact with wind vortices that are airplane-sized.

During turbulence, planes may feel as if they are shaking side to side or moving like a vehicle over a bumpy road. A common sensation during turbulence is the feeling of the plane dropping. However, since many passengers do not fly frequently enough to understand the subtleties of air movement, they often overestimate how far the plane drops.

According to pilot Smith, “In the minds of the passengers, the plane is plummeting hundreds or thousands of feet, but we might only see a twitch of 10 or 20 feet on the altimeter.” It’s essential to remember that these sensations result from air movement, not mechanical failure or collisions with physical objects.

Is flying during turbulence safe?

Turbulence is quite common and generally safe to navigate through. Although there are rare incidents where turbulence becomes hazardous (such as a recent Lufthansa flight that resulted in seven injuries), it is typically harmless. Federal Aviation Administration data indicates that only 30 passengers and 116 crew members suffered serious injuries due to turbulence from 2009 to 2021.

Most turbulence is mild, which is why reports of severe airplane turbulence making headlines are notable and unusual. However, knowing the statistics doesn’t always alleviate flight anxiety, making it crucial to comprehend turbulence and its minimal impact on aircraft.

Are pilots aware when turbulence is approaching?

While pilots can’t directly see turbulence, they often anticipate it through reports from other aircraft, weather updates, and radar technology.

However, clear air turbulence (severe turbulence occurring in cloudless skies) can sometimes surprise pilots. With the warming climate, the frequency of clear air turbulence is expected to increase. This is why it’s essential for passengers to wear their seatbelts when seated to prevent injuries.

How to Manage Anxiety About Turbulence

While the thought of turbulence might make us want to shut our eyes, ignoring it can heighten anxiety. “Due to our limited understanding of what turbulence truly is, we often find it hard to determine whether it’s merely annoying or genuinely dangerous,” says Stephanie Smith, a clinical psychologist and public education coordinator for the American Psychological Association in Colorado. Grasping the nature of turbulence is the first step to demystifying it. “This understanding can help prevent us from jumping to worst-case scenarios and panicking,” she adds, such as fearing the plane has hit something or that the engine has failed.

Even if turbulence causes the plane to descend only a few feet, the unfamiliar feeling can seem exaggerated. “When a flight alters altitude to find smoother conditions, it’s primarily for passenger comfort. The pilots aren’t concerned about the wings falling off; they aim to keep their passengers calm and prevent coffee spills,” says Patrick Smith. Thus, what feels like turbulence is often just pilots maneuvering the plane to avoid shifting air currents. Moreover, commercial aircraft are designed to endure significantly more stress than nature can impose: Boeing famously demonstrated what it takes to destroy a perfectly functional 777 to show that commercial jets can handle far more than what might occur in real scenarios.

Preparation is crucial for making turbulence feel as ordinary as it truly is. “Practice healthy stress management techniques when you’re not flying so that you’ll be adept at using them during your flight,” suggests psychologist Smith.

Therapy aimed at addressing overall anxiety can be beneficial prior to a trip, as can taking courses designed to help overcome the fear of flying. For example, Turkish Airlines offers a comprehensive program that helps participants get acquainted with airplanes and their various features, supported by mental health professionals. This in-person program costs $500 and is available to the public.

Similar courses are available globally, often located near major airports, including one in San Francisco. Generally, understanding what to expect and having the opportunity to acclimate to the idea beforehand can make turbulence feel less intimidating.

In-flight, Turkish Airlines’s Fly Good Feel Good project caters to passengers dealing with flying-related stress by adopting a holistic approach to flight anxiety, which includes a specialty tea designed to promote calm. Regardless of the airline, addressing stress through nutrition (being mindful of what you eat), exercise (to alleviate tension), and psychological techniques (like meditation and breathing exercises) are effective strategies for managing flight anxiety.

While turbulence can be uncomfortable, remember that nothing in life is without its share of bumps along the journey.

This article was first published in 2018 and was last updated on March 23, 2023, incorporating new information. Contributions to this report were made by Bailey Berg.