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A Korean Air flight departing from Seoul, the capital of South Korea, to Mongolia on Sunday (4) experienced severe turbulence that injured 14 people – ten passengers and four crew members. The plane, carrying 281 people to Ulaanbaatar, shook violently for 15 seconds about an hour into the flight, as it was flying over Tianjin Airport in China, at an altitude of 34,000 feet.
Passengers were eating when the turbulence began, and pictures taken after the incident show trays and crockery strewn on the floor and food scraps on the ceiling.
Some people who were not wearing seat belts were reportedly thrown onto the roof.
“I was about to finish my flight meal. The turbulence started and the plane went down really hard. People were screaming, all the plates were falling. It was chaos. I thought for a moment: Am I going to die? I heard there is a lot of turbulence these days, and it is true,” one man said in a report on X.
Despite the confusion, none of the passengers were seriously injured and the flight was able to continue to its final destination. According to Reuters news agency, the injured were given painkillers and a medical team was waiting for them in Ulaanbaatar.
Lamén removed from Korean Air's roster due to unrest
In South Korea, instant noodle consumption is part of people's daily lives, but as of August 15, anyone flying economy class on Korean Air will no longer be able to get this option.
The airline, which has been offering free ramen to all passengers for 25 years and has become famous for it, has decided to remove it from the menu due to an increase in incidents caused by turbulence. Only business and first class will continue to arrive.
Korean Air says that due to the increased risk of turbulence, narrow aisles, and passengers sitting close together, “burn incidents occur frequently.”
The company said in a statement that since 2019, the number of times turbulence occurred on its flights has doubled, and that in economy class, several cups of pasta are served at one time.
The change sparked debate on social media. Some users expressed relief, while others pointed out that the airline still offers other items that could cause burns. “Isn’t coffee and tea hot?” one comment complained.
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 in May after severe turbulence on a Singapore Airlines flight.
