Turbulence can be a nerve-wracking experience for many flyers, but a seasoned cabin crew member has divulged top tips to ensure your safety while soaring through the skies.
Encountering turbulence is when an aircraft is hit by a strong wind current, which can jostle or pulling the plane. ‘Light turbulence’ is fairly common, whereas moderate and severe turbulence are less frequent, with the latter happening in only 0.0001% of flights globally, as per insights from University of Melbourne’s Associate Professor Todd Lane.
Although pilots are adept at navigating the hazards of turbulence, and aircraft are engineered to mitigate these dangers, there are instances where it can lead to injuries or even fatalities. In a previous revelation, cabin crew veteran Ralph Bediones took to TikTok with a video demonstrating “what to do in case of turbulence” to minimize potential harm.
Flight attendant Ralph underscored that the key action for passengers during turbulence is to “remain calm” and “fasten your seatbelt”. For those caught standing when turbulence hits, Ralph advises making your way to the closest seat posthaste.
Those already seated should simply tighten their seatbelts.
“Do not stand up, as this could cause accidents and injury”, he cautioned, further advising against using the lavatory during such times, warning that it “may cause injury”.
Viewers were reassured by him that the “captain will notify it is safe to move around in the cabin once the seatbelt sign is switched off”. On the topic of turbulence’s danger, it is often a common and generally non-threatenting event.
However, on rare occasions, it can result in injuries or even fatalities.
Commercial pilot Patrick Smith, who operates the AskthePilot blog, informed the Washington Post last year: “Turbulence is normal; it’s part of the sky… Every flight every day encounters some form of rough air. For crews, by and large, we look at it as a comfort issue, not necessarily a safety issue.”
Many expressed their appreciation for Ralph’s video in the comments, saying “thank you” for the “safety reminder” and praising him for dispersing invaluable advice.