Two separate mid-air turbulence incidents in June 2025 resulted in injuries to eight cabin crew members on Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Scoot flights, according to final investigation reports released by the Transport Safety Investigation Bureau (TSIB) in June 2026. One SIA crew member suffered a fractured ankle, while other injured staff across both airlines required outpatient treatment after encountering unexpected weather conditions.
How did the SIA turbulence incident occur?
On June 27, 2025, an SIA Airbus A350-900 descending toward Shanghai Pudong International Airport encountered turbulence that left one crew member seriously injured and five others with minor injuries. According to the TSIB report, the pilots identified two weather cells on their radar but opted to fly through a narrow path between them rather than deviating. Although flight crew training manuals recommend avoiding high-threat weather areas by at least 20 nautical miles, the pilots navigated through a gap that left the aircraft roughly 10 nautical miles from either cell.
When the jet entered a cloud layer, the crew lost visual contact with the weather cells. As the plane descended through 27,500ft, it hit turbulence that caused vertical acceleration to fluctuate wildly, peaking at plus 2.63G. The inflight manager reported that several crew members were momentarily lifted off the floor. In response to these findings, SIA has implemented a more conservative turbulence management framework and introduced new tools to help pilots identify rapidly developing cumulus clouds.
What happened during the Scoot flight to Guangzhou?
A Scoot Boeing 787-8 flight to Guangzhou encountered turbulence on June 10, 2025, while cruising at 39,000ft over Vietnam. TSIB investigators found that the pilots noted rising airspeed—a common indicator of potential turbulence—but were unable to request a course deviation due to heavy radio traffic. Before the captain could instruct the cabin crew to take their seats, the aircraft hit a patch of turbulence that lasted 32 seconds.
During this event, the aircraft’s vertical acceleration shifted from plus 1G to a peak of plus 2.25G. Two cabin crew members were injured after being lifted off the floor and falling back onto the cabin deck. The airline has since issued a directive for pilots to press the “fasten seat belt” switch multiple times if they cannot make a verbal announcement in time, and has clarified that pilots may deviate from their flight path without prior air traffic control clearance to avoid weather.
G-forces measure acceleration relative to gravity. At 2.63G, which was recorded during the SIA incident, a person experiences the sensation of weighing more than 2.6 times their actual body weight.
How do these incidents compare to previous safety reports?
The TSIB reports on these 2025 incidents follow a May 2026 investigation into the severe turbulence encountered by SIA Flight SQ321, which resulted in one death and 79 injuries. While the SQ321 report remained inconclusive regarding potential weather radar failures, the bureau has documented at least 10 turbulence incidents involving Singapore-registered aircraft between 2004 and 2025. These events underscore a recurring challenge for regional carriers: balancing flight path efficiency with the unpredictable nature of convective clouds.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What should pilots do if they encounter heavy radio traffic during turbulence?
According to TSIB, pilots are encouraged to use alternative radio frequencies or, if necessary, deviate from their assigned route without waiting for prior air traffic control clearance to avoid weather. - Are cabin crew always seated during turbulence?
Not always. In both the SIA and Scoot incidents, the turbulence occurred while crew were performing their duties, including cabin preparation for landing or post-meal service cleanup. - What is a weather cell?
A weather cell is a pocket of unstable air that can produce hazardous conditions, such as heavy rain or severe turbulence, which pilots are generally trained to avoid.
When flying, keep your seat belt fastened whenever you are seated, even if the “fasten seat belt” sign is switched off. Turbulence can occur without warning in clear air.
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