Passengers, food, and drinks were thrown across the cabin in mid-air after an Air Canada flight encountered severe turbulence on Friday morning. Flight AC19 from Vancouver to Singapore was two hours into the nearly 16-hour journey when it experienced “some major bumps” over the North Pacific Ocean. The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner had drinks dripping from the ceiling and debris scattered across seats following the rough movements.
A Reddit user posted photos showing food splattered across the cabin aisle and overhead bins, commenting, “About two hours into the flight from YVR-SIN we hit some major bumps and everything went flying (including a few people!). Luckily no injuries from what I could tell. Kudos to the crew for keeping everyone under control, and don’t forget to wear your seatbelt!”
Reports indicate that the cabin crew cleaned up as much as possible while the Singapore-bound flight continued its journey. Passengers expressed their surprise at the unexpected turbulence in a Reddit thread, with one describing the sensation similar to a roller coaster ride with floating food in the cabin.
Fortunately, there were no injuries reported among passengers or crew, and the flight did not make an emergency landing. The Independent has reached out to Air Canada for comment on the incident. This is not the first instance of severe turbulence this year, as last month, six people were injured on a Turkish Airlines flight from Turkey to Taiwan due to adverse weather conditions.
Following a fatal incident of extreme turbulence on a Singapore Airlines flight earlier in the year, some airlines are contemplating implementing a mandatory rule for passengers to keep their seat belts fastened at almost all times. In a poll conducted by The Independent’s travel correspondent, Simon Calder, five to one voters were in favor of being strapped in throughout a flight.
For more travel news and advice, you can listen to Simon Calder’s podcast for the latest updates on turbulence and airline safety protocols.