The most turbulent flight routes in the world
Turbulence is an irregular motion of the air resulting from eddies and vertical currents, which causes the aircraft to shake. But while severe turbulence can be dangerous, it’s incredibly rare. One of these rare cases struck a flight of over 300 passengers at the beginning of July. An Air Europa flight traveling from Spain to Uruguay was diverted to Brazil due to severe turbulence and passenger injuries, the Spanish airline revealed on July 1. Thirty passengers were injured before the plane managed to make its emergency landing, according to CNN. “From one moment to the next, the plane destabilized and went into a dive. The people who didn’t have seat belts went up in the air and hit the ceiling, and they got hurt – those who had seat belts on, not so much,” one passenger told Reuters. "We thought we were going to die," said another. “There are passengers with fractures and injuries to their arms, faces, and legs." Images captured from inside the plane show a concerning level of damage, including broken seats and ceiling panels hanging open. Regardless of whether you're a nervous flier or not, even mild turbulence can be an unsettling mid-flight experience. One minute you're cruising along smoothly, and the next things start to get bumpy. And while turbulence is common, there are some flight routes on which travelers experience more of it than others. Curious? Check out this gallery to discover the most turbulent flight routes in the world.
2024-01-26T08:04:58Z
The world's safest airlines
Airline Ratings, the world’s only airline safety and product rating website, has published its World's Safest Airline list for 2024. In making its evaluation, Airline Ratings takes into account "a comprehensive range of factors that include serious incidents, recent fatal accidents, audits from aviation’s governing and industry bodies, profitability, industry-leading safety initiatives, expert pilot training assessment and fleet age." The results are timely, revealed shortly after the shocking Japan Airlines accident that occurred on January 2. The Airbus A350 burst into flames following a collision with a Coast Guard aircraft while landing at Tokyo's Haneda airport. Five of the six crew members on the smaller aircraft were killed, but miraculously, all 379 people aboard the Japan Airlines plane managed to escape. So, if you're planning to fly anytime soon, you might first want to browse this list of 25 airlines deemed the safest in the air. Click through and find out which airline has claimed the top spot.
2024-01-08T07:06:08Z
What restaurants are open on July 4th? Hours and details for Chick-fil-A, Starbucks, McDonald's, more
Here's which restaurants will be open on July 4th, 2024, including McDonald's, Chick-fil-A, Cracker Barrel, Starbucks, Dunkin', Wendy's and more.
2024-07-02T07:10:40Z
The weirdest reasons for airplane turnarounds
Flying is stressful, no doubt about it. There's the competitive prices, the complications of packing, and that all-important airport sprint. When you're on the plane, you can only pray you're not stuck in front of some bratty kicking kid, or behind a rude reclining pensioner. However, none of that could equal the amount of stress in these ridiculous stories. On a recent flight from Tokyo to Seattle, one passenger must have been having a pretty bad day, because he ended up biting a flight attendant. The plane took off at 9:47 pm local time on January 16 but was forced to return to Tokyo’s Haneda airport approximately one hour later. A representative for the Japanese airline revealed that a male American passenger had bitten a female flight attendant and was arrested as soon as the plane landed in Tokyo. She is reported to have sustained minor injuries. This isn't the first time biting has caused major disruptions during a flight. In 2022, two separate incidents occurred in which a passenger bit cabin crew or other passengers on flights with US carriers American Airlines and Delta Air Lines. Both aggressors were fined around US$80,000 by the Federal Aviation Administration—the highest penalties ever issued by the agency. From bees in the cargo to drunken celebrities and forgotten babies, there are countless stories of planes turning around for the strangest reasons. Click through the gallery to hear all about them.
2023-12-29T15:05:29Z