American Airlines Flight Attendants Injured After Airbus A321 Encounters Severe Turbulence
American Airlines Flight 2905 from Tampa to Charlotte on June 8th turned eventful for unfortunate reasons when unexpected turbulence injured four cabin crew members. Fortunately, no passengers were hurt.
The flight, operated by an Airbus A321, was en route from Tampa International Airport (TPA) to Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT). During the 547-mile journey, the aircraft encountered severe turbulence, leading to injuries among the cabin crew, as reported by local news outlet WBTV.
Crew Injuries and Response
The severity of the injuries sustained by the four flight attendants remains unclear. Upon safely landing at Charlotte, the injured crew members were transported to a local hospital for further evaluation. American Airlines has yet to provide an update on their condition.
The flight carried 154 passengers and six crew members. Fortunately, no passengers were injured, and the flight crew, who remained seated with their seatbelts fastened, were unharmed.
American Airlines issued a statement regarding the incident: “American Airlines flight 2905 with service from Tampa (TPA) to Charlotte (CLT) landed safely at CLT after encountering unexpected turbulence. We thank our crew members for their professionalism and our customers for their understanding.”
Clear Air Turbulence and Its Impact
The turbulence encountered on this flight was likely clear air turbulence (CAT), which is particularly dangerous because it is not detectable by weather radar. CAT can often only be avoided if reported by other aircraft in the vicinity.
Tropical Storm Debby Causes Delays
On the day of the incident, Charlotte Douglas International Airport experienced significant flight delays and cancellations due to Tropical Storm Debby. According to FlightAware’s Misery Map, over 715 flights were delayed, and at least 22 were canceled, making CLT the most affected airport in the U.S. that day. Other East Coast airports, including New York, Miami, and Washington D.C., also faced delays.
Rise in Turbulence-Related Injuries
Turbulence-related injuries are becoming more common, as seen in recent incidents involving Air Europa, Qatar Airways, and Singapore Airlines, with some even resulting in fatalities. A study has shown that severe clear air turbulence has increased by 55% in the North Atlantic over the past 40 years, with moderate and light turbulence also on the rise.
Climate change and global warming are believed to be key factors in this increase, leading to a more turbulent future for air travel.
Airlines’ Efforts to Mitigate Turbulence Risks
To reduce the risk of injuries, airlines are implementing new procedures. For example, Korean Air has adjusted its cabin service procedures, ending service 40 minutes before landing and discontinuing the serving of hot items like instant ramen.
Emirates has taken a technological approach by integrating the IATA Turbulence Aware Platform with Lufthansa Systems’ Lido Pilot. This system enables aircraft to automatically share turbulence information, helping pilots better predict and avoid turbulence.
As turbulence becomes more frequent, these innovations and changes in airline protocols are crucial for enhancing passenger and crew safety.
Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, aa.com, simpleflying.com