The dangers of turbulence have resulted in one airline pulling a popular in-flight snack from its menu.
Korean Air will stop serving cups of instant noodles to economy class passengers travelling on long-haul flights as of August 15.
In a statement to Daily Hive, the airline said the decision is “part of proactive safety measures in response to increased turbulence, aimed at preventing burn accidents.”
Because instant noodles involve boiling water, they pose a risk to flight attendants and passengers.
The airline noted that instead of instant noodles, those travelling on longer flights in economy class will have access to other snacks such as sandwiches, corn dogs, and hot pockets.
“To enhance passenger satisfaction and diversify snack options, a self-service snack bar is available on long-haul flights,” it added.
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The instant noodles will still be a snack option for customers in business and first class.
The announcement comes after there have been several reports of turbulence resulting in serious injuries and even death on some flights.
In May, a Singapore Airlines flight travelling from London to Singapore hit a dangerous patch of turbulence, causing the plane to plunge around 7,000 feet. The incident sent several people to hospital and resulted in one death.
In December 2022, turbulence on a flight travelling from Phoenix to Honolulu left at least 36 people injured.
These are just a few examples of many flights that have experienced dangerous turbulence in recent years.
A 2024 study found that aircraft are impacted by moderate to “severe or greater” turbulence over 68,000 times in a year.