Korean Air to stop providing cabin services 40 minutes before landing for safety of passengers

Korean Air, the country’s flag carrier and largest airline, said Monday that its cabin crew will stop providing cabin services 40 minutes before landing, as the company moves to strengthen safety rules in the wake of recent turbulence incidents. This announcement comes after a severe case of turbulence reported on May 21 by Singapore Airlines, an accident that left one passenger dead and dozens of others injured on a flight traveling to Singapore from London. Korean Air’s policy change aims to reduce the risks of safety incidents, including in turbulence-related scenarios, by giving flight attendants more time to focus on the safety of passengers and themselves before landing, the period when most inflight accidents occur. Previously, the company provided services up until 20 minutes before landing. A Korean Air official said the number of cases of turbulence its planes encountered has increased in recent years, with some experts predicting more frequent encounters in the future because of global warming-induced changes in wind velocity at high altitudes.<br/>