This airline doesn’t want to be in any hot water.
Korean Air will no longer provide economy class passengers with instant noodles on long flights to prevent burn incidents during turbulence — three months after rough air currents left an elderly passenger on another airline dead and dozens of others injured.
Starting on Aug. 15, the airline will remove Shin Ramyun — a spicy noodle dish that requires boiling water to prepare — from its in-flight snack offerings “in response to the increasing trend of turbulence,” it said in a statement.
The change is “part of a proactive measure” that is “aimed at preventing burn accidents,” Korean Air added.
The move comes after a Singapore Airlines flight in May encountered a severe turbulence incident that killed a 73-year-old man and injured scores of others who were thrown from their seats.
Last month, Korean Air announced that due to increased turbulence, it would finish long and medium-haul cabin services 20 minutes earlier for the safety of crew and passengers.
The widely popular snack has been featured heavily in Korean Air’s social media. New snack options will instead include sandwiches, corn dogs, pizza and Hot Pockets, the airline said.
“To enhance passenger satisfaction and diversify snack options, a self-service snack bar is also available on long-haul flights. We are committed to ensuring passenger safety and will select snacks on each route based on customer preferences,” a press release stated.
Those sitting in prestige and first-class cabins will still be able to get ramyeon on board.
The airline ranked 11th best in the world for 2024, CNN reported.
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.
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