Korean Air has decided to end its cabin service earlier on medium and long-haul flights due to increased concerns about turbulence. This decision comes after Singapore Airlines also made changes to their protocols following a tragic incident in May involving severe turbulence. Korean Air stated that the number of turbulence incidents has doubled over the past five years.
Starting Monday, Korean Air will finish cabin service 20 minutes earlier, meaning that cabin service will now end 40 minutes before landing. The airline hopes that this change will allow inflight services to conclude before the aircraft starts its descent. Korean Air is one of only 10 airlines rated five stars by Skytrax, and its decision could set a precedent for other carriers to make similar adjustments.
Singapore Airlines, another five-star carrier, recently announced changes to its cabin service protocols after a turbulence incident led to the death of a passenger and injuries to others. The airline will no longer serve meals when the seatbelt light is on and has made other adjustments to ensure passenger safety during turbulent conditions.
Korean Air mentioned that turbulence has become a persistent and growing problem, with the number of incidents increasing in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the same period in 2019. The airline attributed this rise in turbulence to the effects of the climate crisis, noting that temperature differences between altitudes are causing more frequent turbulence as planes descend.
Recent studies have shown that turbulence is becoming more common, especially around jet streams where clear air turbulence is prevalent. The University of Reading discovered that the most severe type of clear air turbulence had increased by 55% between 1979 and 2020 over the North Atlantic. The warming climate is believed to be contributing to this rise in turbulence by adding energy to the air and increasing friction between air molecules.