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Japan, Korea, Singapore push for turbulence to be added to

ICAO's 2026 Global Aviation Safety Plan

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Japan seeks improved real-time weather and turbulence data

sharing across borders

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Turbulence accounted last year for about 40% of all

accidents

involving large aircraft

By Allison Lampert and Maki Shiraki

MONTREAL/TOKYO, Aug 26 (Reuters) - Aviation officials

from Asia are making a case for global action to reduce injuries

from turbulence, with recent high-profile incidents driving

calls to improve forecasting across borders at a Montreal

gathering of regulators starting Monday.

While turbulence does not frequently cause fatalities, it is

the leading cause of accidents, according to data from the

U.N.'s aviation agency, and severe weather patterns brought

about by climate change could lead to more incidents, experts

say.

It's one of several issues being tackled by global

regulators at the International Civil Aviation Organization's

air navigation conference which runs through Sept 6.

Concerns about turbulence on planes have heightened since a

Singapore Airlines flight from London in May encountered a

severe incident leading to one death and dozens of injuries.

Countries like Japan, Korea and Singapore want turbulence

added as a category in ICAO's 2026 Global Aviation Safety Plan,

which outlines industry priorities, according to event working

papers. ICAO said a decision will be taken by its 193 member

states at its triennial assembly next year.

Japan and other countries would like ICAO to improve real

time coordination of weather and turbulence data sharing across

borders as countries take steps to make alerts more user

friendly for pilots, an official with the country's civil

aviation bureau said.

Some countries in Asia are taking early steps to make that

information, now usually sent in text format, more visually

accessible.

Turbulence accounted last year for around 40% of all

accidents involving large aircraft in scheduled commercial

operations, according to ICAO's 2024 Annual Safety Report.

Although is not currently mandated by Japan, carrier All

Nippon Airways now voluntarily airs a safety video at the start

of and during flights to prevent turbulence-related accidents.

Korean Air said in August it would stop serving

instant cup noodles, a popular snack in Korea known as ramyeon

that requires boiling water, on its long-haul flights, part of

changes in response to increased turbulence incidents.