'Everything went flying': Passengers on Air Canada flight to Singapore recount turbulence experience

An Air Canada flight from Vancouver to Singapore last Friday (Oct 11) was hit by turbulence about two hours after take-off.

In a Reddit post on the following day, one affected passenger said the aircraft encountered "some major bumps, and everything went flying, including a few people".

Photos he shared show food items and packaging strewn across the plane aisle as well as liquid stains on the overhead baggage compartments and the cabin's roof.

Replying to comments, the passenger said there was no warning and the turbulence "took everyone by surprise".

He estimated that the episode lasted four to seven minutes, with "one huge drop in altitude".

Aftermath of major turbulence on AC19 today
byu/HefetzHashud inaircanada

Redditor JaneDohe — who said she was also on the flight — shared that she was "terrified".

"Really made me realise how helpless you are on a plane."

In another comment, she said: "We were going through some heavy turbulence, which felt like a lot, and then we dropped. All you see is heads go up, food and drinks hit the roof.”

"It was like one of those rides at the fair that bring you up high and drop you fast. Stomach in throat."

Redditor Candid-Ebb7103, another supposed passenger, compared the turbulence to feeling weightless on a roller coaster.

"The cabin was full of floating food! I had coffee dripping on me from the ceiling and was picking rice out of my hair afterwards," they said.

An Air Canada spokesperson told USA Today that the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner encountered "some turbulence" about three hours into the 16-hour-long journey.

The aircraft landed safety in Singapore, and no injuries were reported.

The spokesperson added that the plane was fully inspected and has since returned to service.

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lim.kewei@asiaone.com