Turbulence related injuries on the rise - Curt Lewis

FAA: Turbulence injuries jolt twice as many flights in 2016

A gashed face while descending into Denver. A fractured spine while heading to the Cayman Islands. Second-degree burns from scalding water while heading to Barbados.

These were among the most serious injuries from turbulence aboard airliners last year, when the Federal Aviation Administration said the number of injuries doubled from a year earlier.

The 44 injuries in 2016 compared to 21 in 2015, the FAA announced Wednesday. During the last 15 years, the lowest total was 12 in 2006 and the highest was 107 in 2009, according to FAA.

Passengers tend to get injured more than crew members, and three-quarters of the injuries last year were for passengers. But crew members often suffer serious injuries because they frequently are standing or walking around the cabin when so-called "clear air" turbulence strikes unexpectedly.

The FAA urges passengers to listen to flight attendants and use an approved child-safety seat for children under 2 years old. The FAA also urges airlines to include turbulence in weather briefings, and to have pilots and dispatchers relay reports about turbulence.

Flight attendants said the incidents serve as a reminder of the risks of their profession