Hate flying? Better swap your single shot of gin for a double as according to research by scientists focusing on the impact of global warming over the next four decades, climate change will lead to bumpier flights.
You can blame your spilt G&T on increased mid-air turbulence, which results from the impact climate change is having on the world’s jet streams. These rapid winds whizz around the planet at the exact same altitude as airplanes. Incidentally, Europe’s shifting jet stream is the likely culprit for the UK’s disappointing summer in 2012 and this year’s unseasonably late and chilly spring.
The study, published in the journal Nature Climate Change utilised the same turbulence models used by air traffic controllers on a daily basis, and discovered that frequent turbulence on numerous flights between North America and Europe will double by 2050, while the intensity of turbulence will increase by 10-40 per cent. Evidence indicates that clear-air turbulence has already risen by 40-90 per cent over Europe and North America since 1958; and as global warming becomes more and more of a pressing issue; as will turbulence.
Turbulence not only causes delays and damages aircrafts – to the tune of around £100m each year – hundreds of passengers are injured due to flights that go bump in the night – and day. However, turbulence related injuries happen to passengers who don’t wear their seatbelts and so consequently hit their heads on the ceiling of the aircraft. So, fasten those seatbelts…
All aboard!
Or, why not swap flying for ferrying this summer? There are plenty of fantastic holiday destinations easily accessible by sea from the UK.
Dublin is a city that delivers on many fronts. Steeped in rich history, fascinating culture, and shining bright when it comes to food and drink, shopping and buzzing nightlife, Dublin is a city brimming with charm and character. The weather might be a bit unreliable but simply dive into a cosy pub (Dublin has plenty to choose from!) and enjoy a pint of Guinness – or few. Irish Ferries to Dublin depart from Holyhead.
Brittany in the northwest region of France boasts beautiful beaches, rich history and culture, verdant forests, and, of course, great food and wine. Brittany is a popular holiday destination – and is especially pleasant at this time of year due to the weather gearing up for summer. Brittany Ferries run between Portsmouth and Caen.
Bilbao is a vibrant, bustling and culturally dynamic city by the sea. Rich in Basque culture and cuisine, Bilbao is a lively cosmopolitan city as well as an ideal base for exploring the green hills of Vizcaya province and beyond. Don’t miss Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim Museum Bilbao – it’s an awesome piece of architecture, as well as home to over a hundred exhibitions of some of the world’s most important art collections spanning the mid-twentieth century to the present day. to Bilbao depart from Portsmouth.
