They don't really fall, but can certainly descend and climb very rapidly, and without warning. In severe or extreme turbulence, altitude losses and gains of 1000 feet can happen, but are usually much less. Events like that are extremely rare, and always make the news.

While turbulence can feel like a stomach-churning freefall, the actual vertical displacement of a commercial aircraft is typically much less than it feels to passengers. In light to moderate turbulence, a plane might only shift by 10 to 40 feet. Even in severe turbulence, which is rare, the drop is usually between 50 and 100 feet. In extreme cases—often involving severe "clear air" turbulence or mountain waves—altitude losses of up to 1,000 feet can occur, but these are statistically exceptional and usually make national news. To the human inner ear, the rapid acceleration and deceleration create an illusion of a much larger "drop" than what is recorded by the cockpit instruments. Modern 2026 aviation safety relies on pilots being trained to maintain control and structural integrity rather than fighting every minor altitude change, as the aircraft is designed to withstand forces far greater than those encountered in typical turbulent air.