Air Malta jet in turbulence incident

Air Malta has launched an inquiry after one of its Boeing 737 jets en route from France fell 300 feet as a result of wake turbulence caused by a Boeing 747 on Sunday night.

It was learned last night that the two jets were six nautical miles from each other.

No one was seriously injured in the fall, but two members of cabin crew and two passengers suffered slight burns as a result of spilt tea and coffee.

An airline spokesman described the incident as rare, and said that passengers were not in any danger at any point.

Air Malta cockpit crew undergo a programme of flight simulations for such eventualities.

The spokesman said cabin crew can pre-empt turbulence in the majority of cases and therefore alert the passengers beforehand.

However, pilot and passengers on board KM455, en route from Lyons to Malta, were caught by surprise by the incident, which occurred at about 10.30 p.m. when the aircraft were flying over Italian airspace, the airline said.

Although the pilot of the 737 had no difficulty in rectifying the situation, the aircraft's drop in altitude caused a coffee pot to spill on two members of cabin crew and two passengers.

They were treated for minor burns on their arrival by the Malta International Airport doctor.

One passenger was taken to St Luke's Hospital for treatment and subsequently discharged.

Wake turbulence is described as a spinning mass of air, originating from the wingtips of a large heavy airliner, that may cause another aircraft to behave unusually.

It can also be created by a number of different conditions, including atmospheric pressures, jet streams, cold or warm fronts or thunderstorms.

The spokesman did not rule out the possibility of compensation to the affected passengers.

"Air Malta attaches high importance to the safety and well-being of its passengers and crew," he said.

The incident was reported to the air traffic control authorities, the airline said.

Air Malta has launched an internal inquiry into the incident and is liaising with local and foreign aviation authorities.

In 1995, the Federal Aviation Authority issued a public advisory to airlines urging the use of seat belts at all times when passengers are seated as a precaution against unexpected turbulence.

Among non-fatal accidents, in-flight turbulence is the leading cause of injuries to airline passengers and flight attendants.

Each year, about 58 air passengers in the US are injured by turbulence while not wearing their seat belts.