Incident Overview
Approximately 20 to 25 minutes prior to landing, a flight encountered turbulence that was characterized as 'heavy' or 'severe.' The flight was in the vicinity of several thunderstorms at the time. The flight attendants were in the process of retrieving cups and trash at the conclusion of a hot meal service.
Injuries
During the turbulence, one flight attendant was thrown upward, struck the ceiling, and then fell to the floor. This resulted in a lower back injury.
Previous Warnings and Instructions
Earlier in the flight, a public address announcement was made indicating that turbulence was expected and that the seat belt sign would remain on throughout the flight. The captain instructed the flight attendants to provide the scheduled meal service. The senior flight attendant stated that the captain had told her earlier that she could have the other attendants take their seats at her discretion due to turbulence, and that the captain would make a PA announcement if the weather worsened.
Flight Attendant Concerns
The senior flight attendant also stated that she believed she would have been fired if she had chosen not to provide the meal service for safety reasons. The flight attendants reported that they were not given any warning before the turbulence occurred.