Hawaii Flight Turbulence Injures Four Crew. Is Turbulence Getting Worse?

Hawaii travel news can change quickly. Always confirm current details with official sources before making travel plans.

A United flight from Honolulu to Los Angeles hit a short, hard burst of turbulence on its decent on Wednesday, Oct. 21.

Four flight attendants needed medical attention, and one went to the hospital. No passenger injuries were reported, according to Hawaii News Now.

It’s a fair time to ask: is turbulence getting worse?

But this flight is a better example of something else. The pilot told air traffic control it felt like wake turbulence.

What happened on this flight, and what the numbers say about turbulence overall.

Then I’ll leave you with the one habit that matters most on your next flight to Hawaii.

Short answer: Serious turbulence injuries on US airlines are up in recent years, and most of them are crew. But one flight doesn’t prove a trend.

What happened on Flight 1157

United Flight 1157 left Honolulu on Wednesday with 190 passengers and 10 crew members. It landed safely at LAX.

The pilot of the Boeing 777 told air traffic control the plane hit about five seconds of turbulence during the descent.

He asked for medical help at the gate. He also said, “It felt like wake turbulence but we’re smooth now.”

Four flight attendants needed medical attention, and one was taken to the hospital. No passenger injuries were reported.

We don’t have details on their conditions, and we’re not going to guess. We wish them a quick recovery.

As of Oct. 23, we couldn’t find an FAA or NTSB announcement about the flight.

Other reports gave very different numbers for how far the plane dropped, so we’re leaving those out until there’s an official figure.

Wake turbulence is not weather

Wake turbulence is swirling air left behind by another aircraft.

The FAA says the wake from one plane can roll another plane harder than its controls can counter, and that can hurt people on board, according to the FAA’s Aeronautical Information Manual.

If the pilot is right, this flight is a poor example for climate talk. Wake turbulence comes from traffic, not from a warming jet stream.

Only an investigation can say for sure.

Nobody should say this one flight proves a trend. One flight never does.

So, is turbulence getting worse?

Here are two honest answers. They come from two different kinds of data.

The injury numbers say yes, lately

The FAA posts serious turbulence injuries on US airlines, using NTSB data. From 2009 to 2021, the yearly total ran between 5 and 18.

Then it climbed to 18 in 2022, 20 in 2023, and 23 in 2024, according to the FAA’s turbulence page.

That 2024 total is the highest in the FAA’s table, which starts in 2009. The table has no 2025 numbers yet.

Crew take most of it. Of 207 serious injuries in the table, 166 were crew, about 80%.

Keep this in context. These are small numbers, and a few bad flights can move a year.

The FAA also says it tracks serious injuries, not every turbulence encounter.

The research says the sky is getting rougher

A University of Reading study looked at 40 years of weather data. Over the North Atlantic, severe clear-air turbulence rose 55% from 1979 to 2020, according to the AGU news release.

That’s from 17.7 hours a year to 27.4 hours at a typical point.

The researchers link it to warmer air strengthening wind shear in the jet streams. They also found increases on other busy routes over the US, Europe, the Middle East, and the South Atlantic.

The release doesn’t name the Pacific routes to Hawaii.

More rough air in the sky doesn’t automatically mean more injuries. The FAA says it’s working on short-term turbulence forecasts so pilots and dispatchers can steer around it.

Why flight attendants get hurt most

The FAA table shows crew take the brunt. That tracks with how the job works. Flight attendants are often working in the aisles while passengers are buckled in.

That’s also why this story matters to you as a passenger. Crew can’t always sit down when turbulence hits. You can.

What to do on your own flight

The FAA’s top tip is to keep your seat belt buckled at all times while you’re seated. The rules require it when the sign is on, and during takeoff, landing, and taxi.

Here’s the simple plan:

1. Buckle up and stay buckled whenever you’re in your seat.
2. Listen to the pilots and flight attendants.
3. Pay attention to the safety briefing and read the safety card.
4. Buckle in kids. The FAA says the safest place for a child under 2 is an approved child seat or device.
5. Follow your airline’s carry-on rules, so bags don’t become flying objects.

None of this means you should skip your Hawaii trip. We didn’t find data showing Hawaii routes carry extra turbulence risk.

For more on getting ready, see my Hawaii travel tips, my guide to planning your Hawaii trip in the right order, and post on things to know before visiting Hawaii.

What I’m watching next

• Any FAA or NTSB statement about Flight 1157.
• Whether the cause is confirmed as wake turbulence.
• The FAA’s 2025 serious-injury numbers.

One flight doesn’t make a trend. But the numbers say it’s worth the two seconds it takes to buckle up.

Frequently asked questions

Is turbulence getting worse?

Serious injuries have risen lately, and research shows more severe clear-air turbulence over the North Atlantic since 1979. But one flight doesn’t prove a trend. The study release did not name the Pacific routes to Hawaii.

What happened on United Flight 1157?

The Boeing 777 flew from Honolulu to Los Angeles on Oct. 21. It hit about five seconds of turbulence on descent. Four flight attendants needed medical attention and one went to the hospital, and no passenger injuries were reported.

What is wake turbulence?

It is swirling air left behind by another aircraft. The FAA says it can roll a plane harder than its controls can counter. The pilot said Flight 1157 felt like wake turbulence, but no official cause has been announced.

Who gets hurt most by turbulence?

Crew. FAA data from 2009 to 2024 shows 166 of 207 serious turbulence injuries on US airlines were to crew, about 80%.

How can I stay safe from turbulence on my Hawaii flight?

Keep your seat belt buckled at all times while you’re seated. Listen to the crew, read the safety card, and follow carry-on rules. The safest place for a child under 2 is an approved child seat or device.

Are Hawaii flights more likely to have turbulence?

We didn’t find data showing Hawaii routes carry extra turbulence risk. Turbulence can happen on any route, so keep your seat belt buckled.

Sources

• Hawaii News Now. “Four flight attendants need medical attention after turbulence on Honolulu-to-LA flight.” Published Oct. 22, 2026.
• Federal Aviation Administration. “Turbulence: Staying Safe.” Data table last updated March 20, 2026. Accessed Oct. 23, 2026.
• Federal Aviation Administration. “Aeronautical Information Manual, Chapter 7, Section 4: Wake Turbulence.” Accessed Oct. 23, 2026.
• AGU and University of Reading. “Hazardous clear-air turbulence up 55% from 1979, study shows.” Published June 8, 2023.