Here’s the answer…this picture shows what happens to the air behind a plane…not unlike a wave behind a ship at sea. You can see that the air swirls around immediately behind the wing. If you happen to fly thru’ this you’ll feel a jolt. And just in case you’re worried…Air Traffic Control keep aircraft apart …measured in miles, to minimise the effect.
Smaller aircraft taking off or landing behind very large aircraft like the Jumbo Jet and the Airbus 380 or 350, have to wait two minutes before they are allowed to go.If you experience this, do not be alarmed or become anxious, it is very short lived and unlikely to happen more than once on a flight.
It does not put your plane at risk. It’s a good reason for always having your seat belt tightly fastened.