This is the moment a stunning electrical storm lit up the sky - all captured by a plane passenger from his window seat.

The footage was taken on an Air Canada Airbus A321 flight that was en route to Los Angeles from Toronto.

Hundreds of bolts of lightning turn the dark, cloudy sky into a spectacular scene that provided entertainment those on board may not have expected.

The video, described in the title as being of "rapid fire lightning", was shared on YouTube by GD Pix, who wrote: "Flying from Toronto to Los Angles in Summer 2015, we passed by a huge lightning storm just to the east of us."

"Lightning was flashing several times per second."

Speaking previously on the danger of lightning to planes, British Airline Pilots Association (Balpa) spokesperson Captain Steven Draper told MailOnline Travel: "Lightning strikes do not affect the flying of an aeroplane, although when flying near or through thunderstorms, pilots might employ specific procedures. Pilots use the weather radar to avoid the worst areas of a storm."

Aeroplanes have a published "turbulence speed" which provides the best passenger comfort and protection from the turbulence. In a storm the pilot may adopt that speed. Other procedures a pilot might employ include turning up the flight deck lighting to reduce the dazzling effect of lightning and ensuring the aircraft ice protection is on.

"Most of the time lightning strikes do not need any specific action, although a reassuring PA to the passengers can help if it has caused concern."

"In many cases there is little or no damage caused by lightning strikes. However, sometimes a small part -- often the nose cone -- needs to be replaced. Areas that are prone to lightning damage are normally fairly straightforward to replace."

"After landing the pilot would make an entry in the Aeroplanes Technical Log referring to the lightning strike so the engineers can check the aeroplane for damage. There are also some other forms to fill out."

Lightning Strikes on Planes - Is There Anything to Worry About?

Although it may sound a terrifying prospect, commercial aircraft around the world are bombarded with bolts of lightning every single day.

According to experts, in an average year any given airliner can expect to be struck at least once on its travels.

Indeed, as the fuselage of most planes is made of conductive aluminium, their presence in storm clouds, where huge amounts of static electricity gather, can actually trigger the discharges.

But due to strict regulations, all passenger planes must be built with electrical shielding which protects the inside of the plane from the effects of lightning bolts.

Those on board often fail to notice that the plane has been hit at all, or experience nothing more than a quick flash.

It is estimated that aircraft shielding is strong enough to withstand voltages ten times the amount of a typical bolt, and no planes have been brought down by lightning since 1967.

The worst to be expected from a lightning blast is a visible scorch mark. Occasionally flights that are struck early in their journey are diverted as a safety precaution.