The science behind dry air in airplane cabins
Airplane cabins are notorious for extremely low humidity, often as low as 5%—far below the comfortable 30–50% found indoors on the ground. This dryness is caused by the cold, arid air brought in at cruising altitude, which quickly evaporates moisture from your skin and body, leading to dehydration.
How low humidity affects your senses
Nasal passages: Dry air dehydrates the mucous membranes in your nose, impairing olfactory receptors and making it harder to detect aromas. Since much of what we perceive as taste is actually smell, this significantly dulls the flavor of food and beverages.
Mouth: Reduced humidity decreases saliva production, making it difficult for taste buds to interact with food molecules. This leads to a blander taste, especially for complex dishes and drinks like wine.
Why food and drinks taste different in the air
The combination of dry nasal passages and mouth means your sense of taste is diminished by up to 30%. Sweet and salty flavors are particularly affected, making meals seem bland and less enjoyable. Airlines often add extra salt and sugar to compensate, but this can have negative health implications for frequent flyers.
Health implications of low cabin humidity
Dehydration: Dry air and salty foods can worsen dehydration, leading to discomfort, fatigue, and headaches.
Excess salt and sugar: To boost flavor, airlines increase salt and sugar in meals, raising risks for high blood pressure, cardiovascular issues, and even diabetes or obesity with frequent consumption.
The solution: Humidifier Onboard for healthier, tastier flights
CTT Systems’ Humidifier Onboard restores healthy humidity levels in the cabin, keeping your nasal passages and mouth hydrated. This enhances your ability to enjoy the full flavors and aromas of in-flight meals and beverages, reduces the need for added salt and sugar, and supports overall passenger well-being.
Welcome onboard an airplane with a Humidifier Onboard
– for a healthy and tasteful in-flight dining experience
What to read next
➔ How dry cabin air affects your fatigue and sleep
➔ Say goodbye to dry skin with Humidifier Onboard airplane
➔ The importance of humidity for human health
➔ White paper: Importance of aircraft cabin humidity – from a scientific point of view
➔ Our product Humidifier Onboard
➔ Contact us for more information about optimizing humidity in your aircraft
