I'm really not sure where to post this, but it's not airline related and it is turbulence related ...

Just the other day, I was on a short flight on a B737 in very good, calm conditions. Just when the FAs started to serve the snacks/drinks (as ever ), there was a one-off, very significant bump: it even caused the FAs to totter, regain their balance (though not that elegantly) and then start embarassed laughter.

A few minutes later, the captain came on the PA, apologised for the bump, and explained that this was caused by our plane going through the wake of another, smaller aircraft.

It makes perfect sense to me, actually, but I was rather intrigued: is this rare? I know there are FTers who fly a lot more than I do (even at least one poster in this thread who flies for a living); has anybody else had this experience? I would imagine that, air-lanes and flight levels being what they are, it shouldn't happen that often, but I could be wrong.

--Henry