Former Qantas pilot reveals the hidden danger threatening air travellers as pilots face new turbulence challenges

Air turbulence is posing a challenge for pilots as climate change affects weather patterns, with a former Qantas pilot explaining why some turbulence can strike even when skies appear clear.

Travellers are being warned to remain vigilant even when skies appear clear, amid warnings air turbulence is becoming harder to predict.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Rising turbulence threat in clear skies

The hidden danger of clear-air turbulence

Richard de Crespigny told Sunrise on Monday that while severe turbulence was not increasing dramatically, climate change was having some impact on conditions associated with thunderstorms.

“There is a one or two percent change due to climate change, global warming,” de Crespigny said.

“Maybe the thunderstorms start a few minutes earlier in the day, and they go a bit higher, but pilots can see the thunderstorms visually or on using radar. We can avoid it.”

Clear-air turbulence, however, presents a different challenge for pilots because it can occur in seemingly calm conditions.

De Crespigny said these air currents formed as different air masses interact, creating narrow bands of turbulence that pilots attempt to anticipate and avoid.

“Clear-air turbulence, which is like feeling the wind as you go between some buildings. There’s a big brush of air,” he said.

He said these narrow bands of turbulent air could be forecast by meteorologists, allowing pilots to identify potential trouble spots and adjust their routes.

“These rivers of air, they’re forecast by meteorologists. We see them on the map. We can predict them, and we hopefully can avoid them.”

Turbulence can also be caused by thunderstorms, air being forced upwards over mountain ranges, and the wake of another aircraft, with some routes more prone to disruption than others.

‘If you can see a seat sit down and strap in’

Despite the ability to forecast and avoid many sources of turbulence, de Crespigny warned passengers to keep their seatbelts loosely fastened whenever seated, even when the seatbelt sign was switched off.

“If you’re seated keep your seatbelt fastened just loosely so that you don’t fly and hit the ceiling,” he said.

“If you hit the ceiling you might break your neck and then you come back down.

For passengers who are out of their seats when turbulence strikes, de Crespigny urged them to find a seat and buckle up as quickly as possible.

“In the worst case where it’s really getting rough hold on to the seat next to you,” he said.

“If you can see a seat sit down and strap in.

“The aircraft is stronger than the human being.”

His warning comes after a Singapore Airlines flight from London to Singapore encountered severe turbulence in May 2024, killing one passenger and injuring dozens of others.

The Boeing 777-300ER was carrying 211 passengers and 18 crew members when it diverted to Bangkok for an emergency landing.

The incident occurred during breakfast service, with passengers who were not wearing seatbelts reportedly thrown into the cabin ceiling.