Turbulence Strikes Delta Airlines Flight, Leaving Several Injured

Fri Mar 20 2026 10:18:44 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

A Delta Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Sydney encountered unexpected turbulence during its landing, resulting in multiple minor injuries. Despite the unsettling experience, all passengers are reported safe.

On a Delta Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Sydney, turbulence struck as the aircraft was landing, leading to injuries among four flight attendants. The New South Wales Ambulance Service treated five individuals, with three taken to the hospital for minor injuries. The incident underscores the growing concerns over turbulence frequency, potentially exacerbated by climate change.

Several people have been injured after a Delta Airlines flight from Los Angeles to Sydney was hit by turbulence on Friday morning.

Delta Flight 41 encountered brief turbulence as it landed at Sydney Airport, an airline spokesperson told the BBC. Four flight attendants were injured, and no passengers were hurt, the airline said.

The New South Wales Ambulance Service said it assessed five patients in total, and took three to hospital with minor injuries that included back pain and headaches. The patients' ages ranged from their 30s to 70s.

It is the latest incident of planes being hit by turbulence, with experts saying climate change is a major factor.

There were 245 passengers and 15 crew members on the Airbus A350, the Delta spokesperson said, adding that the plane landed safely and normally at Sydney Airport at 06:48 local time on Friday (19:48 GMT on Thursday).

The NSW Ambulance Service said it received a call just three minutes before the plane landed, and emergency vehicles were waiting on the tarmac.

Last year, 25 people were injured when a Delta Airlines flight, travelling from Salt Lake City to Amsterdam, hit significant turbulence just two hours into the long-haul flight and had to make an emergency landing.

While turbulence is not uncommon during flights, cases of strong or severe turbulence seem to be rising, although they remain rare in the grand scheme of air travel. Estimates suggest around 5,000 incidents of severe turbulence occur annually, out of more than 35 million flights worldwide.

Experts warn that as climate change alters atmospheric conditions, air travel may become bumpier due to temperature shifts and changing wind patterns expected to increase turbulence intensity.