Korean Air has announced that it will stop serving instant cup noodles known as ramyeon on its long-haul flights due to the increased risks of an accident thanks to turbulence
An airline has banned a popular snack as the threat of turbulence grows thanks to climate change.
Korean Air has announced that it will stop serving instant cup noodles known as ramyeon on its long-haul flights from August 15 following several incidents during turbulence.
The snack, which requires boiling water, will no longer be offered in order to prevent the water being spilled. “This decision is part of proactive safety measures in response to increased turbulence, aimed at preventing burn accidents,” Korean Air said in a statement on Thursday.
The cup noodles are a popular part of the airline’s in-flight service, featuring heavily on social media. Instead of the noodles, economy passengers will be offered sandwiches, corn dogs and hot pockets. Passengers in business and first class though, will continue to enjoy the treat.
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Korean Air last month said turbulence incidents had been rising, leading it to make the decision to finish long-and medium-haul cabin services 20 minutes earlier, wrapping up services 40 minutes before landing.
Global incidents of clear air turbulence – which occurs at high altitudes and is hard to spot – are on the rise. Paul Williams, an atmospheric scientist at the University of Reading, recently told the BBC: “In simple terms, climate change is increasing the temperature difference between the warm and cold air masses that collide to form the jet stream in the upper atmosphere,” he says. “This effect is making the jet stream less stable and allowing more turbulence to break out.”
One user on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), said: “I’m absolutely obsessed with this story… Climate change means more air turbulence and too many people were getting burned by instant noodles splashing around on Korean Air.”
Another user questioned: “Don’t they serve coffee and tea anyway?”
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Other airlines have previously stopped serving some foods including British Airways, which does not serve peanuts on board “due to the number of customers with allergies, and we ask that you do not bring them into the cabin”. EasyJet also banned the sale of nuts on flights in 2019, in order to help better protect any passengers with allergies.
Most airlines also do not allow passengers to bring alcohol or hot drinks on board, but both can be purchased on board most flights or is given as part of the in-flight service.
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Korean Air is one of 21 airlines that have joined a turbulence real-time data exchange platform launched by global airline body the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in 2020. This occurred after heightened concerns following a Singapore Airlines flight from London in May encountered a severe incident leading to one death and dozens of injuries.
The incident, which happened 10 hours into the flight from London Heathrow to Singapore, dropped 6,000 feet in around three minutes. The one passenger that died was a 73-year-old man from Britain.
