Etihad Airways Joins IATA’s Turbulence Aware Programme

Etihad’s fleet is now operating IATA’s software supporting industry efforts to help plot the smoothest flight paths.

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has become the latest airline to join IATA’s Turbulence Aware programme.

Turbulence Aware collates anonymised data about turbulence from flights operated by participating airlines. This real-time, accurate reporting in turn helps pilots and flight dispatchers minimise the effects of turbulence and plot the smoothest and most efficient flight paths.

Etihad will deploy the platform across its entire fleet of almost 100 Airbus and Boeing aircraft, which will automatically share reports with IATA’s programme.

The industry-wide programme will benefit from Etihad’s vast and growing network, which will provide broader flight data coverage, both in the region and across the five continents where Etihad flies. The quality of the data continues to improve as more airlines join the programme.

Captain Majed Al Marzouqi, Interim Chief Operations and Guest Officer at Etihad Airways, said: “As part of our commitment to safety, we are pleased to join IATA’s Turbulence Aware programme and leverage our extensive network and fleet to support the industry in effectively managing turbulence. With real-time, accurate data, pilots can effectively navigate turbulence resulting in smoother journeys.”

Kamil Al-Awadhi, IATA Regional Vice-President, Africa and Middle East, said: “Access to accurate and timely turbulence data is essential for enhancing flight safety and passenger comfort. We welcome Etihad Airways’ participation in Turbulence Aware, which strengthens the industry’s ability to mitigate the impact of turbulence in real time. Their contribution will further improve global coverage, ensuring flight crews have the information they need to make safer and more efficient operational decisions.”

The quality of IATA’s Turbulence Aware data improves as more airlines contribute to the platform. More than 25 airlines are participating in the programme with more than 2,600 aircraft operating the software, resulting in more than 51 million reports in 2024.