MONTREAL: Aviation officials from Asia are advocating for coordinated global efforts to minimize turbulence-related injuries, spurred by recent high-profile incidents. These calls for enhanced cross-border turbulence forecasting are being discussed at a Montreal meeting of aviation regulators, which commenced on Monday (Aug 26).
Although turbulence rarely leads to fatalities, it remains the leading cause of aviation accidents, as highlighted by the United Nations' aviation agency data. Experts warn that severe weather conditions, exacerbated by climate change, could result in more turbulence incidents.
This issue is among several topics under discussion at the International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) air navigation conference, which will continue until September 6.
Concerns about turbulence have increased since a severe incident on a Singapore Airlines flight from London in May resulted in one fatality and multiple injuries.
Japan, Korea, and Singapore are advocating for turbulence to be included as a specific category in ICAO's 2026 Global Aviation Safety Plan, which sets industry priorities, as per event documents. ICAO stated that a decision on this proposal would be made by its 193 member states during its triennial assembly next year.
Japan and other nations are calling for ICAO to enhance real-time coordination for sharing weather and turbulence data across borders and to make alerts more pilot-friendly, according to an official from Japan's civil aviation bureau.
Some Asian countries are taking initial steps to present this information, traditionally delivered in text, in a more visually accessible format.
Turbulence accounted for about 40% of all accidents involving large aircraft in scheduled commercial operations last year, based on ICAO's 2024 Annual Safety Report.
Although not currently a requirement in Japan, All Nippon Airways has voluntarily begun airing a safety video at the start and during flights to prevent turbulence-related accidents.
In August, Korean Air announced it would discontinue serving instant cup noodles, a popular Korean snack called ramyeon that requires boiling water, on long-haul flights as a precautionary measure in response to increased turbulence incidents.
