In brief
- Turbulence is the number one fear for flyers, causing stress and anxiety
- We’re hardwired to view turbulence as a threat, but it’s a natural and normal part of flying and doesn’t pose any danger to passengers or the plane
- Understanding what turbulence is, what causes it, and how pilots manage it is a powerful way to reduce anxiety
- The experts at Fly Above Fear have created this in-depth, extra detailed guide to turbulence safety, causes and how to cope – giving you the tools to fly calmly and with more confidence
Turbulence is uncomfortable, but not unsafe!
If you’re afraid of flying, it’s highly likely that turbulence is one of your biggest fears. Turbulence can appear as if from nowhere with the power to shake a plane. The lack of predictability can increase anxiety, as you never know when it’s likely to hit.
Turbulence can feel like a horrible sensation when you don’t fully understand it. Our brains are naturally wired to turn any unfamiliar movement into a threat – but turbulence is perfectly safe, predictable and a normal part of flying.
Fly Above Fear is on a mission to help anxious flyers understand what’s happening when you fly, because information is power.
Here is pretty much everything you really need to know about turbulence: what it is, why it happens, what pilots do about it, how safe you truly are, and – most importantly – why it feels so much more unsettling than it actually is.
So, what actually is turbulence?
At the most basic level, turbulence is simply movement in the air. That’s truly all it is.
The atmosphere around us isn’t perfectly smooth or motionless. Air is constantly moving, rising, falling, and shifting in speed and direction. When planes fly through these shifts in air speed and direction you can feel movement, like bumps, jolts and drops that are called turbulence.
You’ve probably heard that turbulence is like driving over a bumpy road, and it’s absolutely true.
We know the car isn’t going to fall apart every time we hit a bump. We’re also not worried about the uneven surface because we know that the ground is solid.
When we fly, we can’t see the air around us. When we’re high in the air, we can become afraid that the plane will fall. But simple physics shows that when a plane is cruising altitude and speed, the air around it is solid enough to keep the plane safe.
Turbulence causes anxiety because our imaginations feel the gaps with worry. By understanding what turbulence is, you can counter these negative thoughts with cold, hard reason – so let’s start.
Is turbulence an “air pocket”?
No. While “air pocket” is a common phrase, it suggests that there are sudden holes in the sky.
Obviously, this isn’t the case!
Turbulence is simply caused by gradual changes in air currents. In reality, it’s much calmer than the term “air pocket” suggests.
Some people use the term to describe the dramatic feeling of dropping in the air. While it may feel like the plane is cascading out of control, in many cases, the plane will only move a few feet.
Why does the plane move in turbulence?
Because the surrounding air is active, the aircraft naturally moves in response to it.
When you experience turbulence, you might feel the plane shift up, down, or sideways. If you look out of the window you might notice the wings flexing gently, or feel your stomach drop.
These physical sensations are completely real. However, when we’re anxious, our minds can interpret these routine movements as something being wrong.
But nothing is wrong. The aircraft is simply doing what it was designed, engineered and built today: fly safely through the air.
Why does turbulence happen?
There are several different causes of turbulence, including weather related turbulence, turbulence caused by other aircraft and clear air turbulence that is often caused by the jet stream (fast bands of wind that exist at the cruising altitude of aircraft).
Thankfully, you don’t need to become an expert meteorologist to understand turbulence and its causes. We believe that knowing what causes turbulence can make it seem a lot less mysterious.
Clear-air turbulence
Clear-air turbulence, or CAT in aviation speak, occurs at cruising altitude and is often caused by strong wind streams like jet streams.
CAT can hit even when there isn’t a cloud in sight, which can be unsettling for nervous passengers. And for anyone who is pouring a drink at the time or walking around the cabin!
Clear air turbulence is caused by the natural, invisible movement of the atmosphere. Pilots receive turbulence forecasts which can predict CAT and get real-time reports from other planes (called PIREPs) which can help them avoid CAT.
Learn more in our guide to clear-air turbulence.
Turbulence from thunderstorms
Thunderstorms contain powerful rising and falling air currents and can produce significant turbulence.
Some people may claim that they have flown through a thunderstorm, but it’s highly unlikely that they have. Pilots take thunderstorms seriously and will generally avoid flying directly through them, instead flying around 20 miles away.
Thunderstorms are easy to see on weather radar, with pilots able to spot dangerous looking clouds over a hundred miles away. This enables them to play a course around them, minimising bumps.
Mountain turbulence
When strong winds pass over mountains they can disturb the air. As a result, aircraft flying near mountainous areas can therefore encounter turbulence caused by the terrain.
Mountain wave turbulence is predictable and understood and pilots will do what they can to minimise it. However, when passing over mountainous regions, like the Rockies, Alps, and Himalayas, you can expect the seatbelt sign to come on.
Turbulence caused by weather fronts
Transitions between different air masses can produce turbulent conditions as the plane crosses weather boundaries. Moving from a low-pressure to high-pressure system, for example, can cause some bumps.
This is natural as the aircraft navigates an atmosphere that’s naturally changing.
Wake turbulence
As an aircraft flies, it leaves a slight trail of disturbed air behind it. Aircraft that fly behind an can sometimes touch this disturbed air, which can cause turbulence.
Wake turbulence can be dangerous, which is why flight traffic controllers separate planes out and ensure there’s enough time for this wake turbulence to dissipate before the next planes takes off.
The lesson: Turbulence is a a broad term for different kinds of movement in the atmosphere. It’s natural, understood and expected. It’s also safe to fly through.
Is turbulence dangerous?
While turbulence can certainly feel uncomfortable or intense, ordinary turbulence is not a sign that the aircraft is in danger.
Planes are designed, engineered, and tested to withstand greater forces than turbulence can dish out. Aircraft that are certified to fly passengers must be proven to withstand 1.5 times the highest load expected during its entire operating life.
Turbulence can cause injuries, but in most cases, this is because passengers and crew aren’t strapped into their seats. Billions of passengers travel each year, with just 37 seriously injured.
Statistics show that, if you’re strapped in, the chances of injury are millions to one.
So, why does turbulence feel so dangerous? It’s our brains playing tricks on us.
The trust is that unpleasant sensations (like turbulence) aren’t unsafe conditions. If we stay seated and strapped in, we can have confidence that we’ll be safe.
Can turbulence damage an aircraft?
Commercial aircraft are engineered specifically to fly through turbulent air. Plane wings are built to flex flexibly to absorb movement smoothly, reducing the feeling of turbulence within the cabin.
If you look out the window and see the wings flexing during turbulence you’re seeing them work as they should.
If you’re worried about turbulence, finding a seat over the wings (or failing that, as close to the centre of the aircraft as possible) are the smoothest. Seats at the back experience the most pronounced movement and should be avoided.
Can turbulence hurt passengers?
Yes, turbulence can hurt passengers – but only if you’re not strapped in.
The advice from airline professionals, pilots and other passengers who have experienced strong turbulence is: keep your seat belt loosely fastened whenever you’re sitting down.
Because clear air turbulence can happen without warning, you should keep your belt on – even if the seatbelt sign is off.
If you do this, you don’t need to predict bumps or worry about timing. You can relax knowing that you’ll be safe.
Can turbulence crash a plane?
Ordinary turbulence is extremely unlikely to cause a modern commercial aircraft to crash.
As we’ve explained above, modern commercial planes are built with immense structural integrity. Pilots receive training to manage turbulent conditions.
If a plane and a pilot experiences turbulence, pilots aren’t passive. They can adjust speed or altitude to make the ride smoother. While pilots don’t worry about turbulence in the way that some passengers do, it can be uncomfortable.
We’ve written a dedicated guide on this topic to help bring you peace of mind:
Why does turbulence feel like the plane is falling?
The feeling of falling during turbulence is a combination of both mental and physical sensations.
By now, we know intellectually that the aircraft is safe. However, a slight downward movement can cause your stomach to drop which can trigger an instant bodily reaction. This happens before your rational mind can intervene.
This happens because our inner ear and muscles are highly sensitive to acceleration. This is especially true when we’re anxious. Instead of rationally processing the sensation and considering it to be safe (as we would when driving over a bumpy road, for example) our brains think: “We’re falling”.
It may feel like we’re dropping a long distance, but in reality, the drop is actually likely to be less than a few feet. When you understand and recognise that the feeling of dropping is a mental distortion it can bring a great sense of relief.
Why does the plane sometimes suddenly drop?
During turbulence, planes do drop – but not as much as your body and mind may think.
A sensation of dropping may feel uncomfortable, but it’s not the same thing as the aircraft losing altitude in an unsafe way.
When we’re anxious, our bodies notice small acceleration shifts immediately. When we’re in a plane, we lack the visual cues to see how little we’re actually moving.
Moderate turbulence is relatively rare but it can feel dramatic. However, the plane may only move up and down a few feet. It’s enough to cause bumps in seats and sweaty palms, but it has no impact on the plane and its safe travelling.
Does a plane really drop thousands of feet in turbulence?
No, your plane isn’t dropping thousands of feet. It’s true that in cases of severe turbulence planes can lose altitude rapidly, but these incidences are incredibly rare.
In most cases, while a drop during turbulence might feel significant, the actual change in altitude is usually quite small.
It’s important to recognise that what your body feels and interprets what is physically happening are two very different things. Turbulence is normal and while it’s uncomfortable, it’s not unsafe.
What are the different levels of turbulence?
Turbulence is classified into four categories: light, moderate or severe turbulence.
These terms describe the intensity of the movement. You’ll see turbulence forecasting platforms classify these according to the Eddy Dissipation Rate (EDR). However, turbulence is usually classified by pilots based on their experiences.
Remember, turbulence levels describe the intensity of movement, not safety. Even planes that experience severe or greater turbulence continue to fly safely on to their destinations.
Light turbulence
Light turbulence involves small, gentle movements akin to driving over a slightly uneven road. It poses no difficulty flying the plane or safety concerns for the passengers. Almost every flight will experience light turbulence at some point.
Moderate turbulence
In moderate turbulence, movement of the plane becomes more noticeable. Water might spill from a cup and unsecured items might shift. The seat belt sign will typically be turned on by the pilot and cabin crew may sit down. This is all done as a standard precaution to keep everyone safe, not because the plane is in any danger.
Severe turbulence
Severe turbulence can be uncomfortable. It features stronger and more abrupt motion that makes walking around the cabin difficult. Drops can be fairly significant inside the cabin. Passengers and crew will be instructed to stay comfortably buckled in their seats.
This level of turbulence is very rare and the overwhelming majority of passengers will never experience it.
Extreme turbulence
Extreme turbulence is exceptionally rare.
Should I worry about turbulence levels?
No, these are classifications of what level of turbulence is being experienced. It’s not about whether turbulence is dangerous or not.
To explain further, “severe” and “extreme” turbulence describes the air movement, not the safety of the plane.
If you’d like to know more about turbulence categories, what they are, and what passengers, pilots and the plane will experience check out: Turbulence levels explained.
What do pilots do when they encounter turbulence?
Pilots are focused on getting the plane to the destination as safely as possible.
When they experience turbulence, they assess it rationally and without any anxiety. Depending on conditions, they might adjust altitude, change speed, or simply fly the plane smoothly through the area.
What feels intense in the cabin is often an entirely routine part of flying for pilots. It’s normal for them and they deal with the reality of turbulence dispassionately and scientifically.
When a plane continues straight through bumpy air, passengers often wonder, “Why aren’t the pilots changing course?”.
Pilots are calmly thinking, “This is standard air movement that we can safely ride through.”
Can pilots see turbulence?
You can’t see turbulence, but pilots (and flight planners) can anticipate turbulence using weather forecasts, radar, and reports from other flights.
Weather-related turbulence – including thunderstorms – is simple to spot and avoid. Pilots know that flying over mountainous regions like the Alps, Rockies, or Himalayas can be turbulent. Turbulence can also occur when crossing thermal boundaries, or near trade winds.
Clear-air turbulence remains harder to spot visually, but predictive models are improving.
As passengers, we don’t have access to these advanced forecasting tools and technologies.
If you use turbulence apps, remember that forecasting provides helpful general guidance rather than minute-by-minute precision.
Should you check a turbulence forecast before your flight?
No, you should avoid turbulence forecasting tools. There are several reasons why:
Checking forecasts can build anticipatory stress rather than relieving it. Trying to predict what the air will do days in advance often feeds the anxiety loop. A prediction of strong turbulence can cause days of anxiety – which may never occur.
You can check our review of the best turbulence forecast apps.
Checking a turbulence forecast (or several of them) won’t give you any control. Instead, avoid them and focus on the things that you can control – including your own anxiety levels.
I’ve written more about this here: Why checking turbulence forecasts doesn’t calm anxiety
Here’s more on the limitations of turbulence forecasting: How accurate are turbulence forecasts?
What should you do during turbulence?
We can’t control turbulence, but to some extent we can control how we react to it. The first part of this is understanding what turbulence is, what causes it and why it’s not dangerous. You can read about that in this guide.
The next stage is devising a plan to cope with turbulence in the moment. Here are some of the things that you can do:
Keep your seat belt fastened
Keeping your seat belt fastened whenever you’re seated provides instant safety and peace of mind. It will also protect you from any unexpected turbulence.
The seatbelt provides physical protection – and psychological protection. Staying strapped even if the seat belt sign is switched off is a guarantee you’ll be safe if turbulence hits.
Release the need to predict the next bump
Turbulence anxiety is fuelled by anticipation. You can spend an entire flight thinking: “Is it getting worse? Is another bump coming?”
Accepting turbulence is a part of flying and is normal, has huge power. Removing the need to predict the next bump brings immense relief. Instead of trying to predict what’s going to happen, commit to experiencing it in the moment.
Soften your posture and relax your body
Anxiety creates tension across the body. You may feel it in your neck, jaw, stomach or back. Through mindfulness, you can actually allow your body to soften, reducing the physical tension.
Next time you’re on a turbulent flight, try this:
- Unclench your hands
- Relax your shoulders
- Keep your feet flat on the floor
- Remind yourself that you are safely passing through moving air
You can do all of this silently and without drawing attention to yourself.
Focus on calm, steady breathing
Taking simple, slow exhalations signals safety directly to your nervous system. Deep, steady breathing helps break the physical anxiety loop during bumpy moments.
Exercises like box breathing can all help. Instead of waiting until you’re in the air, it’s important to try these exercises on the ground. As well as practically helping to embed the techniques, they prove that they can work.
Learn breathing, grounding and mindfulness techniques
We’re created a series of detailed guides on breathing, grounding and mindfulness that can help you.
We’ve collated all this advice into a Calm Flight Toolkit. It’s free to download and can travel anywhere with you.
Download it, print it, keep it on your phone or share it. It’s absolutely, totally, and completely free – and always will be.
Why does turbulence feel so much worse when you’re anxious?
It’s true that turbulence feels much worse when we’re anxious. That’s because when we’re anxious, your brain hyper-focuses on every sensation. This includes checking the cabin crew, listening to engine pitch changes, or watching the wings. We’re searching for confirmation of danger.
In this state, even a tiny bump can trigger major anxiety.
This hyper-vigilance causes physical tension which can make every movement feel stronger which fuels the anxiety loop.
It’s a complex subject, so start by reading our detailed guide on understanding turbulence anxiety to learn how to break this cycle.
What to avoid during turbulence
When turbulence hits, you need to focus on what you can control – and that includes how you interpret sensations and how you react to circumstances. Breathing, mindfulness and grounding exercises can bring you back to the present – providing reassurance and restoring calm.
You need to find the strength to understand that how anxious you feel isn’t a measure of how safe the flight is. Understand that your anxiety is measuring your feelings, not how safe the aircraft is.
Why is turbulence a trigger for nervous flyers?
Turbulence can trigger anxiety for a wide variety of reasons. These are personal to you and could have a single cause (like a stressful previous flight), or a combination of factors, like the unpredictability of turbulence, a lack of control, and the strong and uncomfortable physical motion.
When it occurs, turbulence acts as a physical reminder that we’re 30,000 feet or more in the air and not on the ground.
A lot of this returns to a central theme: giving up control. When we fly, we place our trust in the pilot and the hundreds of engineers, technicians and airline staff behind the scenes.
You don’t have to love giving up control, but when you do, know that you’re giving it to a system that’s incredibly safe. How safe? Check out our guide to airline safety stats.
Turbulence myths you can let go of
Turbulence anxiety thrives on myths and misinformation. Here are some of the common beliefs around turbulence and the truth behind them. (It’s a shortened version of our massive Fear of turbulence: Facts vs myths guide.)
“Turbulence is an air pocket”
Air pockets don’t exist. It’s a term used by the media and flyers to describe the sudden sensation you get when the plane loses altitude during turbulence. The reality is that turbulence is simply natural movement in the air. Holes in the air don’t exist!
“The plane is falling”
During turbulence, the plane may momentarily lose altitude. This may feel dramatic but the altitude loss is mostly minor. While turbulence can feel dramatic, the aircraft is plunging down, it momentarily loses altitude which it rapidly regains. During turbulence, the aircraft continues to safely fly forward.
“The wings might flex too much”
Aircraft wings are engineered specifically to flex and absorb forces. They’re tested to extreme levels, far in excess of any turbulence ever recorded. When you see the wings bending, it’s a demonstration of strength. The bending of the wings acts to reduce the feeling of turbulence in the plane. Learn why aircraft wings bend.
“Pilots lose control in turbulence”
Pilots are trained to operate in turbulent conditions and have procedures for managing them. When turbulence occurs, pilots will continue to fly the plane. In moderate or higher turbulence, they may change altitude or slow the plane to turbulence penetration speed, but that’s just to keep you safe. They know (and you should) that turbulence won’t crash a plane.
“Clear skies mean smooth air”
While this is often true, clear-air turbulence can happen at high altitudes without cloud cover. It;s usually caused by high level winds called the jet stream.
Clear skies don’t automatically guarantee perfectly smooth air. And grey skies don’t always mean danger!
“Severe turbulence means danger”
“Severe” describes the intensity of atmospheric movement. It’s an aviation term and it’s not a prediction of danger for the aircraft. Commercial planes are tested to withstand even stronger turbulence.
Final point: Feel turbulence, but don’t fear turbulence
Turbulence can feel uncomfortable, but it’s not unsafe. We hope that we’ve shown you that turbulence anxiety is real but it’s not rational.
Instead of preparing for danger and bracing for a bad flight, you need to understand what turbulence is and accept it’s part of the flying experience.
Don’t try to fight it.
You can learn more about what turbulence is, the causes of turbulence and why it’s safe in our special section.
For advice on staying calm visit the Help Desk and download the Calm Flight Toolkit.
If you need professional help, then don’t be afraid to get it. The impact and outcomes can be transformative. Life is too short to miss out on the incredible experience that is international travel.
Turbulence FAQ
No. It’s a normal part of flying. We know that Turbulence can be uncomfortable and can cause injuries, particularly if passengers aren’t wearing seat belts. But ordinary turbulence isn’t a sign that an aircraft is about to crash.
Ordinary turbulence is extremely unlikely to cause a modern commercial aircraft to crash. Aircraft are designed to operate in turbulent conditions and pilots are trained to manage them. Severe and extreme turbulence can stress airframes, which is why pilots will slow to turbulence penetration speed and look for smoother altitude if they experience it.
At the levels outlined here, no. Commercial aircraft are designed and tested to withstand significant forces. Normal turbulence won’t damage a modern passenger aircraft.
Yes, turbulence can cause a plane to lose altitude – but it’s not going to fall out of the sky. Turbulence can cause changes in the aircraft’s movement that can create a powerful sensation of falling. That sensation doesn’t mean the aircraft is suddenly plunging out of the sky. In fact, altitude losses are often small and the plane remains in control at all times.
When we’re anxious, our senses are heightened. Your body is very sensitive to acceleration and changes in movement. Turbulence creates a surprisingly strong falling sensation even when the actual movement is much less dramatic than it feels. In some cases, you may lose a few inches or feet of altitude.
Yes, to some extent. Pilots have access to forecasts, weather information and reports from other aircraft, but turbulence can’t be predicted perfectly. Lots of investment is being made in turbulence forecasting which can improve accuracy. In the end, turbulence is normal and safe and is probably unavoidable entirely.
Sometimes, but not always. Pilots may be able to alter altitude, speed or route but avoiding every patch of turbulence isn’t possible (no matter how many passengers might want them to!).
Clear-air turbulence is turbulence that occurs without obvious visible weather. It can occur at cruising altitude, including around areas of strong winds and jet streams.
Severe turbulence is a classification used by pilots to describe strong turbulence where the plane may be momentarily out of control. Movement around the cabin is impossible and erratic movement can be dangerous, which is why you should always stay in your seat with the seatbelt on.
There’s no set amount of time for turbulence to last, it depends on the weather, altitude and course you’re flying. It could last a few seconds or the majority of your flight.
Some, is probably the best – and most accurate – answer. All flights will probably experience some minor movement. This can be a small amount or it could be much more. Some routes are more turbulent than others. Flying through a jetstream, over mountain ranges, or during thunderstorm activity can all be bumpy.
No. Turbulence forecasts (at least those we have access to) aren’t accurate. Even worse, they can trigger anxiety that can ruin the run up to a flight and your trip. Whatever turbulence happens, will happen – whether you check the forecast or not. You can’t control the turbulence, nor can you know how pilots will respond to it. Instead, accept that turbulence can happen and make a plan to deal with it if it does.
If turbulence happens, keep your seat belt on and stay in your seat. Try to loosen up your body and lift your feet from the floor. Preparing some breathing and grounding exercises can help keep you in the moment. Positive affirmations are great at helping to restore calm and focus.
Seats around the aircraft’s centre of gravity, near the wings, generally experience less noticeable movement than seats towards the rear. Read our guide on the best seats on a plane for turbulence to help choose a seat that can reduce how much movement you feel.
Understanding turbulence can help, but as most of us anxious flyers know, fear of turbulence isn’t purely an information problem. You need to learn to give up control and cope with uncertainty. When turbulence occurs, you need to accept it’s normal and safe. Turbulence fears can get better over time, but if you find it’s impacting you and your life, then professional help may be needed.
Cabin crew members sit down simply because their job requires them to follow standard safety protocols to avoid being bumped around in choppy air. They’re instructed to sit down and strap in by the pilots because that’s the safest thing to do.
Yes, absolutely. You may always be a little nervous during turbulence, but that’s a long way from experiencing a panic attack. The aim shouldn’t be to love flying, because that’s unrealistic. Instead, you should be able to board a plane and experience the flight for what it is, reacting to what’s happening in the real-world – not inside your brain.
