On May 21, 2025, passengers aboard IndiGo Flight 6E-2142 from Delhi to Srinagar endured a nerve-wracking ordeal. Midway through the journey, the aircraft flew straight into a hailstorm and severe turbulence, shaking everyone out of their mid-flight calm. Thanks to the professionalism of the pilots, the plane landed safely in Srinagar, with all 227 passengers unharmed. The aircraft’s nose cone, however, bore the scars of a battle with the skies. Many passengers described the flight as a ‘near-death experience’. This wasn’t an isolated event. Back on February 19, 2024, another IndiGo flight on the same Delhi-Srinagar route encountered similar severe turbulence. Turbulence refers to the unpredictable and irregular movement of air that can cause sudden jolts in an aircraft’s path.
While the sensation is unsettling, most turbulence isn’t dangerous, just discomforting, like driving over potholes at 35,000 feet. It can be caused by mechanical turbulence from airflow disruptions over obstacles like mountains; thermal turbulence from rising warm air, especially during the day; wake turbulence from nearby aircraft — particularly large ones; and the most unpredictable of all, clear air turbulence (CAT), which strikes at high altitudes in seemingly calm skies and is difficult to detect in advance. CAT is especially concerning because it offers no visual cues and often catches both pilots and passengers off guard. Incidents like spilling coffee or meal trays flying in the air due to sudden altitude drop are not uncommon in the aviation industry. In several instances, turbulence caused passengers and in-flight crew walking in the aisle to hit the cabin ceiling during brief moments of weightlessness. In May 2022, a SpiceJet flight from Mumbai to Durgapur faced intense turbulence during descent, injuring 17 people. While turbulence is usually harmless, it can occasionally pack a punch.
Frequent flyers, especially those who’ve been in the air for decades, have begun noticing a disturbing trend: turbulence seems to be getting worse and more common. They’re not imagining it. Scientific studies have confirmed a link between climate change and the increased frequency and severity of turbulence. A study from the University of Reading revealed that between 1980 and 2020, severe clear-air turbulence over the North Atlantic increased by 55 per cent, while moderate turbulence rose by 37 per cent and light turbulence by 17 per cent. The study has found that CAT is going up sharply. Over the past 41 years, moderate to severe turbulence has increased by 60 per cent to 155 per cent in many parts of the world, including North Africa, East Asia, the Middle East, the North Atlantic, and the North Pacific. Experts say this kind of turbulence is closely linked to jet streams — fast-moving air currents high up in the atmosphere that aeroplanes often fly through. As the Earth gets warmer, these jet streams are becoming more unstable, leading to more turbulence. The study warns that clear air turbulence is likely to increase even more in the coming years, especially over North Africa, East Asia, and the Middle East. The chances of hitting turbulence are expected to go up with every degree of global warming. India’s varied geography, from the towering Himalayas to the arid Thar Desert and the humid coastal regions, makes its airspace especially vulnerable to such disturbances. The monsoon season, in particular, creates rapid shifts in atmospheric conditions, increasing the risk of turbulence. With climate change exacerbating these patterns, Indian airspace will likely see even more frequent and intense turbulence, pushing the aviation sector to adapt accordingly. Fortunately, the aviation industry is evolving to meet the challenge. Pilots undergo rigorous training, including simulation of extreme weather and turbulent conditions. Modern aircraft are fitted with advanced systems to detect turbulence ahead, and meteorological tools are increasingly accurate at forecasting trouble spots. Flight 6E-2142 is one example of how preparedness, training, and calm decision-making can turn a frightening situation into a safe landing. Airlines also emphasise the importance of keeping seat belts always fastened, since even the best equipment and training can’t always outmatch unpredictable weather. So, the next time your flight hits turbulence and your coffee ends up on your lap, take a deep breath and think — it’s not a disaster, just Earth’s subtle reminder that even at 30,000 feet, we can’t outrun the chaos we’ve unleashed through climate change.
(The writer is an aviation expert. Views are personal)
