Korean Air is making more changes to its onboard service in light of rising turbulence incidents and will no longer serve cup noodles as a mid-flight snack in Economy Class over fears that the popular food item could result in serious scold injuries.
Cup noodles, or ramyeon as they are known in South Korea, have long been a popular mid-flight snack item on long-haul flights across Asia, but they require boiling water to be added to the mix, and Korean Air fears they could result in a burn injury.
Last month, Korean Air said it would wrap up cabin service earlier than in the past because turbulence incidents were becoming more frequent. The review of how the airline handles turbulence came just weeks after the fatal turbulence events on Singapore Airlines flight SQ321 from London Heathrow in May.
Korean Air used to continue cabin service right up to 20 minutes before landing but the Seoul-based carrier has now doubled the time at which flight attendants are to wrap up cabin service, ensuring carts and other equipment is safely stowed.
Explaining its decision, Korean Air said that turbulence incidents were more likely to occur during the descent, which takes place at around the 40-minute landing mark on long-haul flights.
Korean Air’s findings echo research conducted by the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) that found that the majority of turbulence related injuries occur during the descent phase of flight.
In fact, according to the NTSB, the descent and approach accounted for just over half of all turbulence-related accidents and nearly 50% of serious injuries, including broken ankles and legs from flight attendants falling in the aisle.
Although the majority of turbulence-related injuries occur towards the end of a flight, Korean Air still doesn’t want to risk having open pots of boiling water carried around the cabin when turbulence, especially clear air turbulence, can strike at any moment.
The airline did not say whether real-life incidents had prompted its more cautious approach, but a spokesperson said: “This decision is part of proactive safety measures in response to increased turbulence, aimed at preventing burn accidents.”
Korean Air is set to eliminate cup noodles from its mid-flight snack menu in Economy Class on August 15, but the airline will offer a new range of snacks, including sandwiches and hot pockets.
Following the tragic events board Singapore Airlines SQ321, the aviation industry has vowed to take turbulence more seriously, and a number of airlines have already or are still reviewing their onboard safety measures.
In the aftermath of SQ321, Singapore Airlines said it would suspend all meal services whenever the seatbelt sign was switched on, and flight attendants would be instructed to sit in their jumpseats.
Until now, airlines would stop service of hot beverages but would routinely continue the meal service unless the turbulence was graded as severe.
