Is there more turbulence these days?

We've flown to Europe twice a year for several years now and just returned from our last trip three weeks ago. I haven't noticed any increased turbulence on the flights we've been on. I sure hope this isn't a new trend that you've experienced.

We noticed a lot of turbulence on our flights to and from Europe in May. I don't know that there was more than in previous years, but it did seem to be stronger. A couple of times the cabin crew seemed distinctly uneasy.

I'm not a scientist or meteorologist so can't say for sure one way or the other that there is a 'trend' toward more turbulence in the air these days. Certainly with global warming being what it is, it's entirely possible that that may be one of the ways our weather is changing. For now, without any scientific facts backing it up, I will say that how much turbulence you experience on a flight and how often has everything to do with the weather taking place at the time of your flight (season of the year, etc) and on your particular flight path. I have experienced some severe turbulence on flights over the years, but the last 4 overseas flights (2 going and 2 coming) I experienced no turbulence at all, those flights were all smooth as glass. So, who's to say.

Could it be the airline? We stopped flying Iceland Air years ago because it was always a horribly bumpy ride. I have not noticed with with British Airways or Air France.

Maybe you are just noticing it more? I have flown Trans-Atlantic almost every year for the last 24, sometimes twice, and have not noticed any difference. Usually it is minimal but we tend to fly in spring or September, from Seattle to London.

The worst turbulence I experience is flying between Seattle and Boise, which I do a lot as my grandchildren live there. It is a known turbulent route. Often the beverage service gets ditched.

My sister, who hates to fly, learned an interesting thing about turbulence. Think of it as a boat being tossed on stormy seas. Not pleasant, but not dangerous. The planes are designed to take it and much more.

I haven't noticed that turbulence is more of a problem now than it used to be. It's a bit worse on some flights than others for some reason, and often seems to be dependent on location. I've learned over the years that approaches to Calgary are often fraught with a bit of "lumpy air". On my last flight there, the young lady sitting beside me almost put permanent finger imprints into the arm rest. The smaller planes seem to be more susceptible to this, and some of the low altitude flights I've taken in single Otters or similar "bush planes" have been a bit bumpy. Helicopters can also be a bit of a ride. No big deal.....

Well I have been flying for many decades.. like 5 at least.. lol ... and no, I have not noticed a difference.

We just flew to Europe.. then had four inter europeon flights this past may and june and I did not notice an increase in turbulence .. in fact don't think we encountered much at all.

I very much dislike turbulence....and that's when I order a bloody Mary ;)

Atmospheric turbulence, in the context of air travel, falls into two categories - mechanical (air being forced around an object) and thermal (air currents caused by uneven heating). Passenger aircraft often experience thermally-induced turbulence during the take-off and landing phases of flight but almost never while at altitude. Mechanical turbulence can occur at any time and at any altitude. Low-level wind shear from thunderstorms is common, especially in the summer months.

One reason why you might think turbulence is more prevalent these days is that the sky is filling up with air traffic. There are defined routes that planes fly and they must keep very specific traffic clearance minimums in order for everybody to be safe. If you have two planes, each traveling at 500mph, flying towards each other, that is a 1000mph closure rate. A little silver speck on the horizon can become a very big problem very fast...

As the skies fill up, airline pilots and air traffic control have less leeway to deviate from the flight plan. In the past, a pilot could request a deviation (in altitude or side to side) to avoid known or suspected turbulence. (Most commercial aircraft have auto reporting systems that "squawk" such things as their location/altitude, air temp, winds, and turbulence while in flight.) With more planes in the air, it's harder for the pilot to deviate from the flight plan to achieve the "smoothest" flight.

Some bumpy areas over the Atlantic are when the flight path takes the plane over Greenland (that ice cube is 12,000 feet high) and anytime the flight path intersects the jet-stream. While east-bound pilots love to get up into the middle of the jet-stream (saves a lot of fuel), there is a lot of turbulence surrounding it and it can be a bumpy ride when entering and exiting.

And, no, climate change isn't making turbulence worse or more widespread...