Video of Woman Facing Severe Turbulence on Her First Flight Goes Viral

A video capturing a woman's nerve-racking experience of sudden turbulence during her first-ever flight has gone viral on TikTok. The video, posted by @maanneri, has amassed 3.8 million views since it was shared on March 6. It opens with an on-screen caption that reads: "It's your first time on a plane and this happens." The footage, filmed from a window seat, initially shows the plane flying smoothly under a bright blue sky. However, as the aircraft moves into an overcast area, the scene quickly changes. The sky turns gray, and the plane begins shaking as it passes through turbulent air. The unsettling moment is intensified by the sounds of passengers reacting in the background. The video is accompanied by a caption from the poster saying: "tb [throwback] to when my soul left earth + the panicked voices in the bg [background]." The viral video comes at a time when air travel safety is a growing public concern. A series of high-profile plane crashes and aviation incidents in recent months has fueled discussions about the risks of flying, even as industry experts emphasize that modern air travel remains statistically safe. According to research, the fear of flying is one of the most prevalent phobias in the world. A 2021 study published in Frontiers in Psychology found that between 10 and 40 percent of people in industrialized nations experience some level of flight anxiety. A separate 2019 study in Aerospace Medicine and Human Performance noted that turbulence, unfamiliar noises and fears of terrorism are among the top triggers for in-flight anxiety. While the viral video captures the unsettling reality of sudden turbulence, industry statistics highlight the overall safety of modern commercial flights. Data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) underscores that commercial aviation is safer than ever. In its 2024 safety report, IATA stated that 2023 was the safest year on record for the industry. "The year saw the smallest number of fatal accidents, with no scheduled passenger jets involved in hull loss or fatal accidents," the report noted. "Furthermore, 2023 also had the lowest fatality risk and all accident rate ever recorded." According to IATA, there was only one fatal plane accident worldwide in 2023, involving a turboprop aircraft that resulted in 72 deaths. Importantly, no IATA member airlines or IATA Operational Safety Audit-registered carriers reported fatal incidents that year. Many TikTok users sympathized with the experience in the viral clip, sharing their own turbulence-related fears and first-flight anxieties. User @dxstiny.y asked: "Why is the turbulence always crazy when planes go through clouds?" Melissa noted: "i hate turbulence," and Rue wrote: "I think I will never get comfortable while on a plane." User @tys.les noted: "My 1st flight was 7 hours and like 4 hour of turbulence they lasted 30 minutes each it was the worse flight ever." Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via TikTok. This video has not been independently verified.

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