Nongshim’s Shin Ramyun served onboard (Nongshim)

Korean Air said Thursday it would no longer serve instant cup noodles to economy class passengers on long-distance routes for safety reasons, starting Aug. 15.

The nation's flag carrier said the decision aims to reduce the risk of accidental scalding from hot liquids. Cup noodles will be replaced with other offerings, including corn dogs, pizzas and hot pockets.

Korean Air's decision comes amid a surge in severe turbulence in recent years. According to a recent study, incidents of severe turbulence increased by 55 percent between 1979 and 2020 largely due to the impact of climate change.

The air carrier said that severe turbulence led to frequent soup spills. Narrow aisles, in particular, made serving boiling water for cup noodles more vulnerable to accidents, it said.

Meanwhile, since last November, Korean Air has also provided a self-service snack bar for economy class passengers to enhance their in-flight experience.