A much-loved airplane snack is disappearing from the in-flight menu because airlines fear it is too dangerous to serve in the air.
Veronika Bondarenko, journalist from The Miami HeraldShe said she was devastated to learn that her favourite mid-flight meal, instant noodles, could be out of the question.
Airlines have determined that because instant noodles require pouring boiling water to activate the flavor and create the broth, passengers and flight attendants are at risk of spills and burns during turbulence.
In fact, a flight attendant told Bondarenko that she was not allowed to be served her favorite comfort food while the seat belt sign was on.
While some airlines are cautious about when to serve specific items, others are eliminating the option altogether.
A much-loved airplane snack is disappearing from the in-flight menu because airlines fear it is too dangerous to serve in the air.
Airlines have determined that because instant noodles require pouring boiling water to activate the flavor and create the broth, passengers and flight attendants are at risk of spills and burns during turbulence.
Korean Air, despite its long-standing association with Shin Ramyun noodles, has eliminated instant noodle service for economy class passengers in the interest of passenger safety.
But passengers with more room in business class will have the privilege of being served ramen noodles with or without the seat belt sign on, especially since flight attendants don’t have to lean over two other people to serve water.
The decision to stop serving instant noodles was likely motivated by recent incidents of severe turbulence.
In May 2024, a Singapore Airlines flight from Singapore to London experienced extreme turbulence, resulting in one death and more than 100 injuries.
A similar incident occurred two months later on an Air Europa flight from Spain to Uruguay.
In fact, one scientific study suggests that there is a link between climate change and increased air turbulence. The study found a 17% increase in turbulence incidents between 1970 and 2020, and projections indicate a further increase as climate change intensifies.
With this in mind, it is now riskier than ever to serve snacks that require pouring boiling water.
To back up its argument, Korean Air cited a 50% increase in turbulence-related incidents between 2019 and 2014 and is now offering safer alternatives to instant ramen, such as pizza and hot pockets.