SAS flight turns back after encountering severe Atlantic turbulence

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SAS flight turns back after encountering severe Atlantic turbulence

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Simple Flying | Simple Flying

By Sky Industry News

Nov 15, 2024

A Scandinavian Airlines flight from Stockholm to Miami was forced to make a U-turn after experiencing severe turbulence over the Atlantic. The Airbus A330-300, on November 14, had crossed Greenland and was nearing North America when it turned back to Copenhagen. No injuries have been reported.

Images on social media depicted the aftermath of the turbulence inside the cabin, with items scattered across the floor. Passengers described "intense shaking" as the aircraft flew at 36,000 feet before diverting back.

The airline explained that "when severe turbulence occurs, the aircraft must always be carefully inspected," according to an SAS spokesperson speaking to Aviation A2Z. This inspection could not be conducted in the USA and had to take place in Copenhagen.

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Upon landing, passengers were met by SAS personnel and accommodated overnight in a hotel. They were rescheduled for a flight to Miami the following day.

The involved aircraft is a 9.1-year-old Airbus A330-300 registered as LN-RKS. Delivered in September 2015, it has logged over 38,000 flight hours across more than 4,385 cycles as of August 31, 2024. SAS's fleet includes eight A330-300s and four A350-900s for long-haul flights.

Flight SK957 typically operates between Stockholm and Miami with scheduled departure at 12:55 and arrival at 17:45, taking just over ten hours.

This incident follows recent reports of severe turbulence affecting other flights globally. A Lufthansa flight from Buenos Aires to Frankfurt recently encountered turbulence causing minor injuries to eleven people onboard. In another instance, a United Airlines flight from Cancun diverted to Memphis due to similar conditions.

The most notable case this year involved Singapore Airlines' London-Singapore route in May where severe turbulence resulted in multiple injuries and one fatality.