SIA joins turbulence data-sharing platform five months after SQ321 incident

GENEVA - Singapore Airlines (SIA) has joined a global platform of more than 25 airlines to exchange real-time data on turbulence, offering its pilots another tool to avoid flying through choppy air.

- Kenneth Cheng

This comes about five months after a Singapore-bound SIA flight from London encountered severe turbulence over Myanmar, leaving a passenger dead and dozens more hurt.

The national carrier and its budget arm, Scoot, were among four airlines that recently signed up to the International Air Transport Association's (Iata) Turbulence Aware platform, the airline industry body announced on Dec 10.

The other two airlines are South Korean carrier Asiana Airlines and British Airways, Iata said at its global media day in Geneva, Switzerland.

So far in 2024, six airlines have joined Turbulence Aware. Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific and Dubai-based Emirates signed up earlier in the year.

In response to questions from The Straits Times, a spokeswoman for SIA confirmed that the airline began using Turbulence Aware from Nov 1, giving its pilots access to real-time data so they can plan optimal flight paths and avoid turbulent areas.

She said the airline had already been using various kinds of technology and tools to manage weather and turbulent conditions before the incident involving Flight SQ321 on May 21.