It’s the in-flight situation that can unsettle even experienced flyers and put those who were already nervous about travelling by plane into a state of extreme anxiety: turbulence. In recent years, you might well have noticed that flights feel a little bumpier – and you wouldn’t be alone.New research by the University of Reading found that instability-generating wind shear in the jet stream, which circles the Earth at around 30,000ft, has soared by 15 per cent since 1979, meaning stronger turbulence for planes and their passengers.Similarly, severe clear-air turbulence (CAT), which occurs without warning when the skies are cloudless, on busy flight routes has also risen by 55 per cent.Earlier this month, an Air India flight experienced extreme turbulence, leaving at least 12 people injured after the force made passengers bang their heads against the cabin’s ceiling. Injured passengers and flight crew were seen being wheeled into ambulances that had rushed to the airport’s tarmac, some with bandages on their heads The aircraft was cruising at altitude when it hit the terrifying turbulence, which also left cracks in the plane’s interiorBound for Delhi, India, the aircraft hit turbulence around 90 minutes after taking off from Phuket, Thailand, on August 4. The 134 passengers on board felt a sudden drop, caused by a change in altitude, leaving those who weren’t wearing seatbelts to smash the top of their heads on the plane’s ceiling. The aircraft landed safely at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport around 11am local time, where emergency services were waiting for them, and one patient is believed to have suffered a spinal fracture.Anton Rachenko, aviation expert and founder of AirAdvisor, says of the rise in incidents: ‘There is good evidence that clear-air turbulence is becoming more common in some heavily travelled parts of the world, and that is the type pilots worry about because there may be no obvious storm ahead to warn you it is coming. Following the Air India incident, is turbulence getting worse across the skies?’We are also flying through a changing atmosphere, and bigger differences in wind speed around the jet stream can create more of the conditions that produce it.’ ‘What passengers should not take from that,’ Anton says, ‘is that every flight is suddenly going to become frighteningly turbulent. The encouraging part is that airlines are also getting much better at anticipating turbulence. Better communication in the skies between planes means that pilots can help out those following similar routes in real-time. ‘Aircraft can now share information about what they have just encountered with flights following behind them, allowing pilots to change altitude or, just as importantly, get everybody seated before they reach it. ‘We probably cannot eliminate turbulence, but turning something completely unexpected into something the crew gets five or ten minutes’ warning about can make a very big difference.’What are the reasons for increased turbulence?Former airline captain Emma Henderson told the Daily Mail previously: ‘Whether we like it or not, the main reason is climate change.’She explains how, as the atmosphere warms, jet streams can be strengthened in some regions due to differences in temperature between air masses. Climate change could be behind turbulence worsening, says retired pilot Emma Henderson’Stronger wind shear within and around the jet stream creates more clear-air turbulence, which is particularly challenging because it cannot be seen on weather radar,’ the pilot, who is now a professional public speaker, explained.CAT is increasing ‘most noticeably’ at cruising altitude, but, she noted, ‘not all turbulence is increasing.”We have also seen an increase in thunderstorm activity in the UK recently and that brings with it a risk of more turbulence too,’ she adds.Turbulence could ‘potentially’ become more common in the future as global warming continues.’Climate models suggest that if global temperatures continue to rise, clear-air turbulence could become more frequent and more intense on some major flight routes, particularly across the North Atlantic and North America,’ the captain explained.It doesn’t mean you will have to prepare for a bumpy flight every time you jet off on holiday – the aviation industry is adapting.There’s another contributing factor, Maya Shpak, CEO of AI-powered turbulence intelligence platform SkyPath, told the Daily Mail: ‘Forecasters now track an 88 per cent chance of a strong or very strong El Niño event this year, with the peak expected between November 2026 and January 2027. ‘In a strong El Niño season, there is a predicted 30 per cent increase in turbulence over the North Atlantic alone, with meaningful upticks also expected over North America, South America, Southeast Asia and Australia.’So, the season ahead isn’t an isolated spike; it’s an El Niño surge atop a baseline that’s been climbing for decades. And this isn’t just a ride-quality issue: turbulence is already the leading cause of non-fatal injury in commercial aviation, so even incremental increases add up for passengers and airlines alike.’Which flights have experienced serious turbulence? Poor turbulence has been reported on Air India, Cathay Pacific and easyJet flightsAside from the Air India event this month, Delta Air Lines is being taken to court by a group of passengers after a severe turbulence incident on July 30, 2025 left 25 people injured.Meanwhile, on an easyJet flight earlier this year, the pilot was forced to declare an emergency and return the aircraft to the UK after facing a bout of serious turbulence.In another incident, ten people were injured on a Cathay Pacific flight from Brisbane to Hong Kong in May after turbulence hurtled passengers and cabin crew into the ceiling of the plane.Can you get compensation for turbulence? David Martin, managing director at Heamar, has explained which routes are likely to be worse for turbulenceIf you have experienced severe turbulence, you might feel angry or want compensation.Is this possible – and if so, how do you go about this?Anton says: ‘One thing passengers often ask after a severe turbulence incident is whether they can claim compensation. ‘If turbulence causes a diversion or major delay because of weather conditions outside the airline’s control, the usual fixed delay compensation may not be payable, although the airline can still have obligations to look after passengers and get them to their destination. ‘If someone is actually injured during the turbulence, that is a different issue altogether. An onboard injury can potentially fall under international airline liability rules, so I would always advise the passenger to report it to the crew, get medical attention and keep a record of what happened.’ ‘An onboard injury can potentially fall under international airline liability rules, so I would always advise the passenger to report it to the crew, get medical attention and keep a record of what happened.’ Is there a way to avoid turbulence? There are, arguably, ways to circumvent especially turbulent flights.David Martin, managing director at Heamar, which supplies specialist tools to the aerospace industry, said: ‘Passengers, of course, cannot control the route an airline chooses, but geography can give you some clues. ‘Flights passing over or close to major mountain ranges can experience mountain-wave turbulence, while areas around thunderstorms and strong weather systems can also produce much rougher conditions.’Your route of choice matters, too. There are several regions that can be particularly bad for turbulence.’Some routes are simply more prone to turbulence because of the weather patterns and geography they pass through,’ David told the Daily Mail. ‘Parts of the North Atlantic, for example, can experience significant turbulence, while mountainous regions such as the Andes and Himalayas can create more challenging conditions.’ Nervous flyers often try to plan routes around turbulence – experts have revealed the worst routes for bumpy flights’That said, I would not recommend passengers choosing a destination based solely on turbulence maps. ‘Commercial aircraft are designed and operated to deal with turbulence, and flight crews have access to far more detailed weather and aviation data than passengers do. If conditions are especially severe, routes can be adjusted, altitudes changed, or flights delayed.’For passengers who are nervous flyers, the more useful approach is to choose a seat over the wings, where movement is generally less noticeable, and keep your seatbelt fastened whenever you are seated.’David went on to explain: ‘There are certainly seasonal patterns that can influence the likelihood of turbulence, but there is no guaranteed “turbulence-free” time of year.’Weather systems, jet streams and thunderstorms all change with the seasons, so some routes can be more susceptible at particular times.’Mountain regions are another good example. You do not need to avoid flying over mountains, but passengers should understand that the terrain can create atmospheric waves and turbulence, especially when strong winds are present.’Similarly, tropical and subtropical regions can see more turbulence associated with thunderstorms, while routes around major jet streams can encounter clear-air turbulence.’Parts of South America and Asia can therefore have areas where turbulence is more common, but it would be misleading to label an entire continent as “bad for turbulence”.’Do apps promising to help handle turbulence really work? There are lots of apps that promise to alleviate fears regarding turbulence – and many argue that knowledge is power. Turbli, for example, is a turbulence forecast tool that was established in 2020. It uses weather forecasts used by flight crew to inform passengers of turbulence on their flights – as well as the speed and flight route.Additionally, the app Flying Calmly functions similarly, and has plenty of positive reviews. SkyPath is another such app – ‘built for the flight deck rather than the passenger seat’ using real-time data from pilots.Maya Shpak, the app’s CEO said of it: ‘It works a bit like Waze. Waze doesn’t stop traffic; it uses real-time data from thousands of drivers already on the road to reroute you around traffic forming right now. SkyPath does the same with turbulence, except our “drivers” are pilots. ‘We fuse over 9billion crowdsourced data points a year, drawn from the accelerometers in pilots’ flight-deck-installed iPads, aircraft-transmitted flight data, official pilot weather reports, and AI forecasting, into one live, global map of where the air is rough, right now and up to 24 hours ahead, and most importantly, where there is smooth air for safer routing.’The important distinction: SkyPath doesn’t prevent turbulence. Nobody can stop the atmosphere from doing what it does. ‘What it does is give pilots and dispatchers enough advance notice to prepare for it and, where possible, route around it, whether that’s turning the seatbelt sign on before the bumps start rather than after, or recommending an altitude change to find smoother air.’Reviews of these sorts of apps are mixed, though, with some arguing having so much information to check can actually worsen flight anxiety. Using apps to grapple with the stress of bumpy takeoffs and flights could help – but there are downsides tooMany travellers have raved about these apps – but there are limitations, says David Martin, MD at Heamar. ‘Turbulence forecasting apps can be useful as a general guide, especially for passengers who want to understand whether their route is likely to encounter rough conditions. They can help highlight areas where turbulence may be more likely based on available weather and atmospheric data.’They should not be treated as a crystal ball. Turbulence can be highly localised, conditions can change during a flight, and forecasts are not precise enough to guarantee that a particular aircraft will experience a smooth or bumpy journey.’I would use these apps for reassurance and preparation rather than as a reason to cancel or completely change a flight. If an app predicts turbulence, that does not mean the flight will be uncomfortable, and a route showing low turbulence risk can still encounter unexpected bumps.’The best place to go for information is the airline and flight crew – they are, after all, the ones working with the weather, real conditions and route, and will have experience dealing with all kinds of passengers – pre-flight nerves or otherwise! Tactics to beat a fear of flying A total of 25-30 per cent of adults experience some level of flight anxiety, making it one of the most common phobias worldwide, according to Phobia Aero.Turbulence alone has never caused a modern commercial aircraft to crash, the site explains – yet it remains the number one reported trigger. How to combat these fears?The jelly method: When a plane is at 30,000ft, its movement through air is more comparable to passing through jelly than water. Using this visualisation can help you feel more at ease in the skies. Lift up your legs! Another simple – yet often effective – tactic is to lift up your legs during take-off. By lifting your legs off the floor, you reduce the shaky sensation that occurs.Breathing: Taking slow breaths in and exhaling slowly for five to seven seconds can help you to bring your heart rate down.Chat to the crew: Cabin crew deal with nervous flyers all the time – so have a quick word if you’re feeling anxious.