EasyJet pilot reveals the worst airport to fly into for ‘notorious’ turbulence
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An easyJet pilot has revealed the worst European destination to fly to for turbulence, known as being “notorious” for its mountain winds.
Turbulence is caused by eddies and vertical currents, leading to a buffeting of aircraft as it transits through the airspace.
EasyJet pilot Chris, who only wanted to be mentioned on a first-name basis, said that when it comes to the worst areas for turbulence, Innsbruck in Austria, which is located in a valley, is notorious for severe turbulence.
Innsbruck is a hotspot for skiing and other winter sports, all tucked away within the Alps.
“The strong winds in the area can reach speeds of up to 60mph,” Chris said. “Innsbruck Airport is also infamous for severe turbulence, caused by strong winds funnelling through the narrow valleys between the towering mountains that surround it.”
“These winds tumble over the rugged terrain, often creating mountain waves and in turn a highly turbulent landing experience.”
This type of turbulence may be described as ‘mechanical’, meaning it is caused by a mountain or manmade structure that disrupts airflow.
There are two other main reasons turbulence occurs: thermal (warm air rises through cooler air) and shear (on the border of two pockets of air moving in different directions). This makes the aircraft rise and fall and rock from side to side.
For journeys at a higher level, Chris told eSIM travel company Airalo that the worst journeys are usually to the Adriatic coast, with countries such as Italy, Croatia and Albania along this stretch, mainly in the late summer to early winter “due to weather build-ups there”.
Chris also spoke about which season you are more likely to experience turbulence when flying, revealing that November to March is the worst for experiencing rocky journeys.
“November to March is when we tend to get the most storms and this makes it extremely turbulent,” he said. “Similarly, any airport around the Alps at this time of year can be very turbulent as the terrain gives mountain waves.
If you are a nervous flyer who would rather not experience the sways of turbulence, Chris recommended sitting as close to the front of the plane as possible.
“Due to the centre of mass, the further back on the aircraft you sit, the more ‘movement’ you will feel bouncing around,” he said.
While turbulence can feel scary, even to the most frequent flyers, the phenomenon is completely normal, and modern aircraft are designed to withstand huge amounts of turbulence.
The injuries airlines tend to see from turbulence are when people are not strapped in properly.
In May, a British father-of-two died when a Singapore Airlines flight hit severe turbulence, suffering from a suspected heart attack. Seven people also ended up in a critical condition and dozens more were injured.
More recently, 11 people were injured after turbulence hit a Lufthansa flight to Germany on 11 November, then a few days later on 14 November, when a Scandinavian Airlines flight bound for Miami had to make a sudden U-turn after experiencing serious turbulence.
For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calder’s podcast
