The plane drops briefly, the drinks slosh in their cups, the seat belt sign lights up. For many people, turbulence is the most unpleasant part of a flight. Yet it is almost always harmless. If you understand what is happening, it is easier to stay calm.
How turbulence forms
Air is not uniform. It flows, rises, sinks and forms eddies, much like water in a river. When a plane flies through these movements, we feel it as shaking or a short drop. The main causes:
| Cause | Where it occurs | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Rising warm air | During take-off and landing on sunny days | Short and usually light |
| Mountains | Over ranges such as the Alps | Air is forced up over the peaks |
| Clouds and thunderstorms | In towering cumulus clouds | Pilots fly well around thunderstorms |
| Strong winds at altitude | At the edges of fast air currents | Also occurs in a clear sky |
Clear-air turbulence is particularly unpleasant. Nobody sees it coming. It forms at the edges of very fast air currents high up.
Why the aircraft can take it
Modern airliners are built for far greater forces than occur even in severe turbulence. The wings are deliberately flexible. If you look out of the window and see the wing moving, that is not a sign of danger. It is exactly what the designers intended, because a rigid wing would be under more strain.
The feeling of dropping is deceptive too, because what feels like a fall of many metres in your stomach is usually only a few metres in reality. For pilots, it is routine.
What the pilots do
Pilots usually know before take-off where turbulence is likely. Weather forecasts and reports from other aircraft show at which altitudes it is bumpy. With the weather radar on board they fly around thunderstorms at a wide distance. If it gets rough, they often change altitude or slow down to make the flight smoother.
What you can do on board
- Choose a seat over the wings: this is where movements are smallest.
- Keep your belt fastened: loosely, but securely.
- Breathe calmly: slowly in through your nose and out for longer through your mouth.
- Distract yourself: music, a film or a conversation help pass the time.
- Take care with hot drinks: when it gets bumpy, wait a moment.
A small trick for nervous flyers: put a half-full cup of water in front of you. Even when it feels strong, the water rarely sloshes over the rim. It shows how small the movements really are.
Light, moderate, severe
Pilots classify turbulence in levels. Light turbulence is the usual shaking, and drinks stay where they are. In moderate turbulence the service is often interrupted, and walking in the aisle becomes difficult. Severe turbulence, where objects can fly through the cabin, is very rare. Most frequent flyers never experience it.
In short
Turbulence is unpleasant. For the aircraft, it is no problem. Pilots know about it, plan for it and fly around the worst areas. Stay buckled up and you are on the safe side. If you suffer from a fear of flying, our guide on the subject has more help.
flug-123.de editorial team, updated 10 November 2026. We review our guides regularly. Rules can change. If in doubt, the details in your booking apply.
