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In recent years, turbulence has become one of the aviation industry’s most persistent operational challenges. New technologies and data-driven programs are now helping airlines improve flight safety and passenger comfort. One of the most significant initiatives is the IATA Turbulence Aware Platform, a global data-sharing system that allows airlines to better predict and avoid turbulent airspace in real time.
Thanks to such tools, it would not be inaccurate to say that 2025 has not seen any major turbulence-related incidents. This marks a notable improvement compared to 2023–2024, when several serious turbulence events led to passenger injuries and cabin crew incidents, making global headlines.
Each year, turbli.com, a platform specializing in turbulence analytics, publishes a ranking of the world’s most turbulent flight routes. For its 2025 assessment, nearly 10,000 routes connecting 550 of the world’s largest airports were analyzed using historical turbulence forecast data and actual flight tracking records.
The Most Turbulent Routes in 2025
The top turbulence-prone routes this year were:
• Mendoza – Santiago
• Xining – Yinchuan
• Chengdu – Xining
A striking outcome is the increasing concentration of high-turbulence routes in China, indicating that future national aviation planning may need to include expanded turbulence mitigation strategies.
Other routes completing the top 10 list:
• Cordoba – Santiago
• Santa Cruz – Santiago
• Chengdu – Lanzhou
• Mendoza – Salta
• Chengdu – Yinchuan
• Xining – Lhasa
• Denver – Atlanta
Why Turbulence Happens
Turbulence occurs for several reasons:
• Thermal turbulence caused by temperature differences in the atmosphere
• Mechanical turbulence created by geographical obstacles such as mountains
• Clear-air turbulence, often linked to high-altitude jet streams
When turbulence occurs, aircraft may experience sudden lateral movements, altitude changes, or brief instability, all normal aerodynamic responses to airflow variations.
A common public misconception is the phrase “the plane fell into an air pocket.”
In reality, there is no such thing as a void in the sky. What passengers feel are rapid airflow shifts caused by atmospheric dynamics.
Turbulence intensity generally falls into three categories:
Light turbulence
Minor altitude or attitude changes. Slight shaking. Seatbelts feel lightly tense.
Moderate turbulence
Noticeable shaking and small altitude variations. Loose objects may move. Seatbelts feel firmly tight but aircraft remain fully controllable.
Severe turbulence
Large and sudden changes in altitude and aircraft attitude. Momentary loss of stable control is possible. Seatbelts feel strongly strained. This is rare but requires strict safety compliance.
How Passengers Can Stay Safe
I’ve spent nearly 23 years in the air as an aviation journalist, mostly on business travel. Over time, I’ve adopted one simple rule:
I keep my seatbelt fastened whenever I am seated.
I only unfasten it when standing or using the lavatory. On overnight or tiring flights, I even sleep without reclining my seat, seatbelt still fastened. This habit means cabin crew don’t need to wake me during descent, and more importantly, I’m always protected if turbulence occurs unexpectedly.
The takeaway is simple:
Keep your seatbelt fastened when seated.
Listen carefully to cabin crew instructions.
And turbulence becomes far less of a risk and far more manageable.