The equator is known for turbulence, particularly due to strong upward currents and thunderstorm activity. This creates a region where air streams traveling at different speeds can come together, leading to turbulence. For example, the boundary of jet streams, over mountains, and during certain cloud storms can all create turbulence.
The recent deadly turbulence on a Singapore Airlines Ltd. flight has drawn attention to the world’s most unstable air routes. The flight was on its way from London to Singapore when it encountered severe turbulence in Thai airspace, causing an emergency landing in Bangkok. Unfortunately, a British man lost his life and seven others were critically injured in the incident.
According to the turbli database, the most turbulent flights connect Santiago in Chile to Santa Cruz in Bolivia. However, there are also bumpy rides on other routes around the world. Flights departing from Tokyo are among the roughest long-haul services. Japan is known for high levels of turbulence caused by mountains and oceans.
The turbli website analyzed 150,000 routes using data from UK and US government meteorological agencies to produce its rankings of the most turbulent flight paths. Strong turbulence is typically created when air streams with different speeds converge, making certain regions more prone to bumpy rides.