Turbulence is becoming more and more common. American Airlines captain Dennis Tajer has experienced this trend first hand.
Tajer, who has been a pilot for over 30 years, said it is essential for the safety of his passengers that they always wear seat belts, even if it is not required by law.
It is for their protection and the safety of those around them, Tajer told FOX Business.
According to a 2023 study by researchers at the University of Reading in the UK, turbulence in clear air has increased in various regions of the world.
Over the North Atlantic, one of the busiest air routes, the total annual duration of severe turbulence increased by 55% between 1979 and 2020.
Moderate turbulence increased by 37 percent and light turbulence by 17 percent. All of these increases are consistent with the effects of climate change, according to the study, which was published in Geophysical Research Letters.
“After a decade of research showing that climate change will lead to more turbulence in clear air in the future, we now have evidence that this increase has already begun,” said Professor Paul Williams, atmospheric scientist at the University of Reading and co-author of the study.
Despite changes in turbulence over the years, Tajer does not believe that the current Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) seat belt regulations necessarily need to be changed.
FAA regulations require passengers to properly fasten their seat belts during taxiing, takeoff, and landing.
Although the term “properly secured” is not defined in the regulations, passengers are required to follow the crew’s instructions regarding the use of seat belts.
The FAA told FOX Business that the regulations also require crew members to inform passengers when and under what conditions they must fasten their seat belts.
According to the FAA, passengers must follow cabin crew instructions on fastening their seat belts.
Airlines for America, an industry association representing major U.S. passenger airlines, told FOX Business that all of its members “recommend wearing seat belts while seated for safety reasons, including during turbulence.”
When turbulence is forecast or occurs, airlines remind passengers to remain seated and fasten their seat belts. Fasten seat belt signs are usually activated, the trade group said.
However, there is no law that requires seat belts to be worn for the entire duration of the flight.
For one thing, this is not possible because people have to get up and go to the bathroom, Tajer said. He also said if the seatbelt sign was on all the time, its importance would diminish during serious turbulence.
“We’ve learned that if you leave the seatbelt sign on when it’s really not necessary and the air is calm, ignoring it becomes normal,” Tajer said, adding, “The fact that it’s always on doesn’t make it unique. People get used to it and then just start ignoring it.”
But whenever people are in their seat, they should wear their seatbelt, no matter what the sign says, Tajer says.
The answer is not to “pass a law that requires you to wear a seat belt whenever you’re sitting … the answer is continuous education,” Tajer continued.
“As basic as it is, the best form of technology that can protect you from injury is wearing a seatbelt,” Tajer said, adding: “In our experience, severe turbulence is becoming more common and there is usually a warning, but sometimes not.”
The FAA said it is working to warn flight crews about turbulence “through technology and by encouraging and relaying pilot reports of turbulence.”
In addition, under a contract with the National Center for Atmospheric Sciences, the FAA has developed a turbulence forecasting “nowcast” that provides rapidly updated 15-minute turbulence forecasts to help pilots and flight dispatchers make tactical decisions to avoid it.
