Passengers on a Delta flight from Milan to Atlanta recently got a surprising answer to that question. The turbulence was so intense, that 11 passengers needed medical attention right after they landed.
This journey, known as DL 175, was cruising along nicely for most of its 10-hour duration. But as they neared Atlanta, things got pretty rough.
Around 40 miles from the airport, their Airbus A350, just four years into its aviation life, hit a patch of seriously intense turbulence. Of the 165 souls on board, 11 ended up needing a trip to the hospital.
One brave passenger captured the whole ordeal on video and shared the experience on TikTok. The user, Helloayo, shared some advice: "Always buckle up on flights, folks! Our plane took a nosedive, and some of us, me included, got airborne. A lot of us, and even some flight attendants, got banged up.
After the wild ride, they had to make an emergency landing. Those not too injured had to hang tight until a replacement crew arrived. One lady was lifted off her seat so forcefully that she actually damaged the overhead bin!" The footage showed some folks nursing injuries and others being assisted by medical professionals.
Delta's Response
Delta promptly issued a statement: "Our Delta Care Team is actively reaching out and assisting those affected on Flight 175. Our top concern? The well-being of our injured passengers and crew. A big thank you to the speedy and efficient first responders who provided medical support."
Hold tight; Future Flights Could Get Shakier!
For the regular jet-setters out there, here's something to consider. A recent study from the University of Reading in England warns that flight turbulence might become a more common event, all thanks to climate change. This research suggests that the increase in CO2 emissions is affecting our jet streams, leading to stronger turbulence across the globe.
Paul Williams, a scientist from the University of Reading involved in the study, shared his insights: "We've been researching for a decade, and it seems the impact of climate change on turbulence is not just a future concern; it's happening now. Better turbulence detection and prediction tools should be on our radar to make flights smoother in the future."
Delta Air Lines Airbus A350-900 (N576DZ, built 2019) flew into severe turbulence during approach into Atlanta-Intl Airport (KATL) resulting in 11 injuries among crew and passengers. Flight #DL175 flew in from Milan, Italy having 151+14 people on board made a safe landing on… pic.twitter.com/UWNlIvj99O
— JACDEC (@JacdecNew) August 30, 2023
@helloayo Always wear your seatbelt on the plane!! My flight #delta175 hit severe turbulence and dropped significantly, sending people including myself flying out of our seats. Several passengers and the majority of flight attendants were injured. We had to make an emergency landing and anyone who wasn't badly injured had to stay on the plane until a new flight crew came on because you can't debark without one. One woman flew up so high she hit the overhead compartment and cracked it. #delta #flight175 #emergencylanding #deltaflight175 #wearyourseatbelt ♬ original sound - helloayo
