On a flight about the same period last year from midwestern Nigeria, we met with turbulence. The pilot had informed the passengers and crew, yet, prayers were heard all over the plane when the turbulence was being experienced. While turbulence has always been part of flying, passenger anxiety is growing, especially after high-profile incidents. This concern is amplified by social media, where videos of bumpy flights and injuries go viral, shaping public perception.
Turbulence is climbing the list of passenger worries. According to an [IATA blog post] (https://www.iata.org/en/pressroom/opinions/navigating-turbulent-skies-with-certainty/) from April 2025, 54 percent of passengers reported feeling more concerned about turbulence than they were the previous year. This spike in anxiety likely stems from high-profile incidents like the severe turbulence on Delta flight DL56, which resulted in multiple injuries.
Passenger concerns about turbulence have been steadily rising over the past few decades, and the long-term trends may point to this anxiety likely intensifying with significant impact on the passenger experience. Meanwhile, technology and collaboration are being used to make skies safer and smoother.
To tackle this growing concern, the aviation industry is leaning into data. IATA’s Turbulence Aware programme, launched in 2018, now includes 28 airlines and 2,800 aircraft, all feeding real-time turbulence reports into a shared platform. In just the first half of 2025, the programme generated 24.8 million turbulence reports, marking a 23 percent increase over the same period in 2024, reveals an online search.
Clear-Air Turbulence (CAT) — the invisible kind that occurs without warning — is becoming more frequent and severe due to climate change. As climate models predict even more unstable air in the future, turbulence-related concerns are expected to remain high among passengers. However, the aviation industry is working on better forecasting, stronger aircraft designs, and improved passenger communication to ease fears.
The aviation industry is intensifying its focus on air turbulence, driven by increasing concerns about climate change and its impact on flight safety. Turbulence is a major hazard that can cause injuries, flight delays, and increased fuel consumption.
Airlines are investing in predictive tools like IATA’s Turbulence Aware, which uses real-time data from thousands of aircraft to help pilots avoid rough patches. Also, flight paths are increasingly adjusted to dodge turbulent zones, consequently, this can lead to longer routes and higher fuel consumption.
Also, pilots receive extensive and specialised training to handle turbulence safely and confidently. It’s not just about keeping the plane steady — it’s about anticipating, communicating, and making smart decisions under pressure. Training includes how to interpret turbulence forecasts and adjust flight paths accordingly.
The integration of advanced technology and predictive analytics is enhancing turbulence forecasting and improving operational efficiency in the aviation industry. This is a lever for a strategy by the industry to meet with the increasing concerns over turbulence. As a result, airlines, air traffic control, and pilots are sharing real-time data on turbulence to improve situational awareness and decision-making. Airlines are using predictive weather models to plan and adjust flight routes, reducing the risk of turbulence encounters.
Consequently, improved communication channels and collaborative decision-making are helping to minimize the risk of injuries caused by turbulence.
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Ekelem Airhihen, an accredited mediator, has an MBA from the Lagos Business School. He is a member, ACI Airport Non-aeronautical Revenue Activities Committee; his interests are in market research, customer experience and performance measurement, negotiation, strategy and data and business analytics. He can be reached on ekyair@yahoo.com and +2348023125396 (WhatsApp only).
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