Aircraft safety concerns rise with window failures and turbulence
Recent aviation safety analyses note two growing hazards. A rare window‑failure incident, reminiscent of the 1990 British Airways flight in which the captain was nearly pulled from the cockpit, and the 2018 Southwest Airlines case where a passenger was partially ejected, illustrate how a single maintenance error can endanger crew and passengers. Investigations of those events led to stricter inspection procedures for aircraft windows.
A separate study of clear‑air turbulence (CAT) shows a 55% increase in incidents on major routes since 1979, particularly over the North Atlantic, North America and Europe. Scientists link the rise to climate‑change‑driven temperature contrasts that intensify jet‑stream shear. Turbulence can cause injuries and lawsuits, prompting airlines to adopt better forecasting, altitude adjustments and cabin safety measures.