Turbulence takes instant noodles off Korean Air menu

If you're taking a flight on Korean Air, you might soon notice something missing from your menu - a cup of instant noodles.

From 15 August onwards, the carrier will stop serving the noodles on its long-haul flights, citing the increased risk of turbulence.

It added that narrow aisles and passengers sitting closely together meant "burn incidents occur frequently".

The noodles will continue to be offered to business and first class fliers.

Instant noodles are brought individually to these passengers, reducing the likelihood of spillage in the event of turbulence, the carrier said.

In a statement, the carrier said the number of occurrences of turbulence on its flights had doubled from 2019 to this year.

It added that in economy class, several cups of noodles are all served at once, saying that the "risk of burns is greater with passengers crowded together".

Up until now, the Korean carrier had been providing the noodles for free to passengers on longer routes.

The noodles had become a passenger favourite, and something Korean Air was widely known for - with many praising the fact that instant noodles are available at any time on request.

But this will now be replaced with sandwiches, corn dogs, pizza and "Hot Pockets" - crusty turnovers filled with cheese, meat and vegetables.

The move sparked discussion on social media. Some users expressed relief, while others pointed out that the carrier was still serving other items that could cause burns.

"Aren't coffee and tea hot?" said one comment.

However, another called it a "vey good decision", saying they had always been "nervous" that they would be scalded.

Another said they had hoped the instant noodles would be removed "because of the smell".

Korean Air said it will "continue to seek service methods that are safe while increasing customer convenience and satisfaction".

Earlier this year, Singapore Airlines said it would stop serving hot drinks and meals during turbulence as part of a "more cautious approach".

A 73-year-old British passenger died and dozens more were injured when flight SQ 321 encountered turbulence over Myanmar and was diverted to Thailand in May.

Turbulence is one of the most unpredictable of all weather phenomena, with severe turbulence becoming more likely with climate change, recent research shows.