Many people have specific foods they like to eat when flying, or that they associate with flying. An outcry took place after United Airlines (UAL) announced that it was replacing the beloved Biscoff cookie it has served for generations to make room for “more variety and healthier options.” I have a flying snack favorite of my own: a steaming cup of cheap instant noodles that costs four or five times more than it would on the ground but somehow always tastes better in the air.
I have written about giving in to the temptation to pay $5.49 for a cup of instant noodles on Spirit Airlines (SAVE) on here before — if they are on the menu, I will almost always order them.
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But as preparing instant noodles requires pouring boiling water into the cup, there are certain risks involved if the flight hits unexpected turbulence. On a recent Air Canada (ACDVF) flight, a flight attendant surprised me by saying that he would not be able to serve instant noodles while the seat belt sign was on. That specific item was too much of a spill and burn risk even amid the mild turbulence that was not enough to stop the rest of the food and drinks service.
‘Proactive safety measures aimed at preventing burn accidents’
Some airlines are deciding to take instant noodles off the menu altogether. While it has had a longstanding partnership with the Shin Ramyun brand, Korean Air just announced that it would no longer be serving instant noodles to economy passengers “as part of proactive safety measures in response to increased turbulence, aimed at preventing burn accidents.”
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As business class seats are more spacious and do not result in the flight attendant leaning over two other people with the cup, those passengers will still be able to enjoy instant noodles at the cost of paying significantly more for a ticket.
The decision was partially influenced by several high-profile incidents of extreme turbulence. In May 2024, one person lost his life and more than 100 people were injured on a Singapore Airlines (SINGF) flight from Singapore to London that hit a bout of extreme turbulence, while two months later a similar situation occurred on an Air Europa flight from Spain to Uruguay.
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Climate change is getting worse equals no more instant noodles
One scientific study calculated that amid changing temperatures and greater industrialization, instances of in-air turbulence rose by 17% from 1970 to 2020 and are expected to only keep rising as climate change worsens.
And in practical terms, this means that serving anything hot and liquid is becoming more of a risk. In explaining the reasons behind the decision to stop serving instant noodles in economy, Korean Air said that the incidents of turbulence had increased by nearly 50% between 2019 and 2024.
To soften the blow to those who love in-air noodles, Korean Air announced a long lineup of tasty foods that it will instead offer travelers on flights where they would have previously received free noodles: corn dogs, pizza and “hot pocket” turnovers filled with meat, cheese and different types of sauce.
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