Four American Airlines flight attendants sustained injuries on Aug. 8 when an Airbus A321 plane bound for Charlotte was hit by turbulence, the airline said.
Flight 2905 departed from Tampa International Airport in Florida and was en route to Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina when it encountered “unexpected turbulence.”
The plane was carrying 154 passengers and six crew members. Four of its flight attendants were injured during the turbulence and transported to a local hospital for evaluation, the airline said.
The aircraft landed safely in Charlotte and none of the passengers reported injuries from the turbulence, according to the airline. The two other crew members were also unharmed.
“We thank our crew members for their professionalism and our customers for their understanding,” the airline said in an emailed statement to The Epoch Times, without elaborating on the cause of the turbulence.
Earlier this month, Korean Air announced that it would remove instant cup noodles from the economy cabin menu due to an increased risk of turbulence on flights.
The airline said it was taking proactive safety measures to prevent burn accidents during turbulence. Korean Air noted that it would offer alternative snacks, such as sandwiches, corn dogs, and hot pockets.
Singapore’s Transport Ministry said the plane dropped 178 feet (54 meters) in less than one second, which “likely resulted in the occupants who were not belted up to become airborne” before falling back down.
It was unclear what caused the turbulence.
Most people associate turbulence with heavy storms but the most dangerous type is so-called clear air turbulence. Wind shear can occur in wispy cirrus clouds or even in clear air near thunderstorms, as differences in temperature and pressure create powerful currents of fast-moving air.
The report stated that flight attendants accounted for nearly 80 percent of turbulence-related injuries because their jobs often require them to move around the cabin and not wear seat belts.
