September 2, 2024, 3:32 pm | Read time: 2 minutes
Increased and increasingly sudden turbulence is not only a concern for travelers who fear flying. An Asian airline is now resorting to a supposedly bizarre measure to protect passengers by removing a popular in-flight snack from the menu. The reason is the increased risk of scalding.
They are probably one of the biggest cult snacks among travel enthusiasts: the instant noodles served on Korean Air trays – completely free of charge. But now, the eager slurping on board has come to an end. The airline is removing the ready-made meal from its program, as reported by “BBC” and others. The reasoning sounds bizarre at first. It is apparently not about saving costs but about flight safety.
Increasing incidents with boiling hot noodle soup
As reported by the BBC, Korean Air has experienced regular incidents of scalding or burns due to the snacks prepared with hot water. This is particularly due to the fact that the number of turbulence incidents has doubled since 2019. This is a phenomenon that studies attribute to climate change.
According to the reports, the instant noodles on board will now be a thing of the past from August 15. At least partially: guests in Business Class and First Class can still order the snack. According to “Aeroflap“, Korean Air justifies this decision by stating that the snacks will be served simultaneously in Economy Class, whereas in Premium Class they will only be served individually. Indeed, it appears that the risk of injury in Economy Class is consequently much higher.
“BBC” also reports on the divided opinions on the decision on social media. While some already seem to be mourning the cult snack, others seem to understand. However, according to the BBC, some users are also questioning the extent to which coffee or tea might not pose similar dangers.
Did you know that? Why dying during a flight is often not technically possible
To increase customer satisfaction Lufthansa tests the return of free drinks on flights
No more selfies Too many influencers! A small US town closes an entire street for several weeks
Just one of Korean Air’s new measures
However, it should be noted that removing instant noodles is not the only safety measure Korean Air has implemented recently due to turbulence. As reported by “Aero International,” cabin service was already shortened on July 1. This now ends 40 minutes before landing instead of the previous 20 minutes. The reason for this is that severe turbulence could occur, particularly shortly before landing.
Ending on a positive note: Korean Air’s Economy passengers reportedly will not have to go hungry. According to the BBC, the free noodles will be replaced by alternatives such as sandwiches or filled dumplings.