By Charles Pemu 
LAGOS – A video showing distressed passengers aboard an Air Peace flight encountering turbulence on July 23 has gone viral on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), igniting a wave of mixed reactions and misinformation about aviation safety.
The clip, captioned “Omo Air Peace you can do better,” shows passengers visibly shaken as the aircraft hit rough air. While some viewers expressed concern, aviation experts and informed users were quick to clarify that turbulence is a natural, weather-related phenomenon beyond the control of any airline.
Statements such as “Is it Air Peace that created the sky?” and “Turbulence has never caused a plane crash” dominated the defense, emphasizing the need for public education on common flight conditions. Turbulence is typically caused by jet streams, thunderstorms, or mountain waves—and modern aircraft are built to handle it.
Experts reiterated that pilots are extensively trained to manage turbulence, and such occurrences rarely pose a threat to safety, though they may cause discomfort. Critics argue that the viral post unfairly blames the airline for a routine part of air travel.
The incident has sparked a broader discussion about how aviation events are portrayed online, with calls for accurate information to prevent unnecessary fear and maintain confidence in Nigeria’s growing aviation sector.
As of Thursday morning, the conversation continues across platforms, reinforcing the importance of informed discourse in shaping public perception of airline operations.