On May 20th, an Avelo Airlines Boeing 737-700, registration N701VL was forced to divert after three flight attendants sustained injuries due to turbulence. An airline spokesperson reported minor injuries to all three crew persons.

The incident occurred on Avelo's flight XP-357, with non-stop service from Tweed-New Haven Airport, CT (HVN) to Fort Myers-Southwest Florida International Airport, FL (RSW). The aircraft took off at 15:24 EDT and was scheduled to land at its destination at 18:20 EDT.

The Boeing 737 only managed a flight time of approximately 1hr 30min before experiencing severe turbulence at its cruising altitude of 36,000 ft (10,973 m). The incident occurred about 160 NM (296 km) northeast of Orlando, and caused the aircraft to lose approximately 400 ft (122 m) of altitude instantly.

Avelo 737 tail and winglet
Photo: Avelo.

Aftermath

According to the airline, the turbulence was thought to have been caused by the wake of a larger aircraft flying at roughly the same flight level. The sudden drop in altitude resulted in three flight attendants receiving minor injuries. No other injuries were sustained by passengers or staff.

The nature of the injuries didn’t warrant the event to be classified as an accident. However, the airliner diverted from its planned flight path to Orlando International Airport, FL (MCO) for the crew to be evaluated by medical professionals in the interest of safety.

Flight XP-357 landed in Orlando at 17:40 EDT, just over two hours after takeoff from New Haven. The aircraft was grounded for roughly 80 minutes while alternative flight attendants were assigned to replace their injured colleagues.

Avelo’s 737 departed Orlando at 19:00 EDT and reached Fort Myers just over half an hour later. The entire incident resulted in a 90-minute delay.

illustration of a vortex caused by an airplane

The Association of Flight Attendants (AFA), representing the flight attendants injured by the incident, released the following statement on Monday.

"Our union is supporting the crew from Avelo Flight 357 in the aftermath of this incident where all Flight Attendants suffered injuries. We are grateful the plane landed without further incident.”

The union went on to remind passengers about the importance of wearing seatbelts for the entire duration of the flight, as turbulence is not always avoidable and can occur without any warning.

A passenger commented on her experience on Flight XP 357 on The Aviation Herald’s forum. According to the passenger:

“All the passengers screamed, which made the incident much worse, and were terrified in the aftermath of the incident.”

Injuries due to turbulence

This event is one of many turbulence-related incidents that occur around the world daily. The most recent incidents involving serious injuries caused by turbulence in and around the United States include Lufthansa Fight LH469 and Hawaiian Airlines Flight 35, which saw seven and 36 passengers injured, respectively.

Most severe turbulence events on airliners only scare passengers - very few cause any injuries, and even fewer cause serious injuries. From 2009 to 2022, there have only been 163 people that have sustained serious injuries from severe turbulence.

An Avelo Airlines Boeing 737 flying below the clouds.
Photo: Angel DiBilio | Shutterstock

Statistically, the chances of the average passenger getting seriously injured on a flight are beyond minuscule. However, some routes and airports are more susceptible to turbulence than others.

According to experts, airline passengers will experience twice as much turbulence due to climate change. However, airlines and manufacturers will continue to innovate and ensure that air travel remains the safest and most comfortable form of transportation.

  • Avelo Airlines Tile
    Avelo Airlines
    IATA/ICAO Code:
    XP/VXP
    Airline Type:
    Ultra-Low-Cost Carrier
    Hub(s):
    Hollywood Burbank Airport, Tweed New Haven Airport, Harry Reid International Airport, Orlando International Airport, Raleigh–Durham International Airport, Wilmington Airport
    Year Founded:
    2018
    CEO:
    Andrew Levy
    Country:
    United States
    Region:
    North America
  • Spirit Airlines at gate Orlando Florida Airport
    Orlando International Airport
    IATA/ICAO Code:
    MCO/KMCO
    Country:
    United States
    CEO:
    Phil Brown
    Passenger Count :
    40,351,068 (2021)
    Runways :
    17L/35R - 2,743m (9,000ft) | 17R/35L - 3,048m (10,000ft) | 18L/36R - 3,659m (12,000ft) | 18R/36L - 3,659m (12,000ft)
    Terminals:
    Terminal A | Terminal B