During a recent Air Canada flight, unexpected turbulence led to a chaotic situation as food and drinks were ejected from trays and splattered across the airplane cabin, even hitting the ceiling.

Flight AC19, which took off from Vancouver heading towards Singapore, encountered “major bumps” that sent “everything flying (including some passengers!)” as noted in a Reddit post by user HefetzHashud, who was onboard. This user has not replied to YSL News’s request for further details.

An Air Canada representative verified that the flight experienced “some turbulence” about three hours into its lengthy 16-hour journey.

The Reddit poster elaborated that this turbulence lasted between four to seven minutes, characterized by a significant drop in altitude that created a mess.

According to the user, fellow passengers assisted the flight attendants in cleaning up afterwards, and those whose seats were wet received tablecloths to help manage the situation.

The flight eventually landed safely, just 26 minutes later than planned, with no injuries reported, as stated by the airline.

The Air Canada spokesperson mentioned, “The aircraft underwent a complete inspection as mandated and is back in service.”

This year has seen numerous turbulence-related incidents, including one involving Singapore Airlines in May, which resulted in 30 injuries, one of which was fatal, though it’s unclear if this was due to turbulence or a pre-existing health condition. Additionally, a United Airlines flight from Cancún to Chicago also experienced severe turbulence last month that resulted in one injury.

Is Turbulence Increasing in Severity?

Yes, turbulence has been escalating in both frequency and intensity due to climate change. While the most extreme turbulence remains rare, it can still occur.

For safety, passengers are advised to remain buckled in at all times when seated, even if the seatbelt sign is not illuminated. This is due to the fact that clear air turbulence can arise unexpectedly and is the most likely to lead to injuries as passengers are often not restrained at that moment.

“Whenever someone inquires about turbulence, I give them the same advice,” stated Thomas Guinn, chair of applied aviation sciences at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, in a previous interview with YSL News. “If you are secured in your seatbelt, the likelihood of being injured during turbulence is very low.”