Passengers often find themselves scrambling for their jumper during flights as the temperature on the plane turns chilly.
Airplane cabins can get notoriously cold, but according to flight attendants, there’s a very good reason for it.
Jay Robert, a senior international cabin crew member and the creator of A Fly Guy’s Cabin Crew Lounge, recently shared the surprisingly complex reason behind cabin temperature – and why being cold in the air is actually a beneficial thing.
Speaking to UniLad Tech in 2024, Robert explained: ‘When the plane is at the gate, it’s cooled using an external air conditioning system.
‘Once in the air, the aircraft relies on its internal cooling system, powered by the engines.’
While pilots are in charge of the main thermostat, flight attendants can make minor adjustments through their cabin control system – but a significant change requires a call to the cockpit.
According to Taylor Garland, spokesperson for the Association of Flight Attendants, airplane cabins are divided into zones for temperature control.
However, the system is an ‘imperfect science,’ as she added: ‘If a zone is large and/or the temperature sensor is near a source of heat – just like if the thermostat at home is near a heating vent – then the system will think that the cabin is warmer than it is.’
Airplane cabins can get notoriously cold, but according to flight attendants, there’s a very good reason for it
But this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as cool temperatures are beneficial to passengers’ health, safety, and, surprisingly, scent.
Robert recalled working on a massive aircraft that carried over 600 passengers, and one of things he had to ‘regularly check’ was that the temperature did not go above 73 degrees Fahrenheit (23 degrees Celsius).
The reason for this, he revealed, is because passengers are more likely to faint if temperatures exceed 75°F (24°C).
Colder air helps counteract the effects of the cabin’s dry, pressurised environment, which can contribute to dehydration and dizziness.
The third and final benefit of cool air on planes is a little less scientific yet perhaps the most essential during on a long flight: a pleasant-smelling cabin.
According to Robert, warmer cabins ‘smell funkier’ as heat energises odour-causing molecules, meaning a rather unsavoury smell can build up quickly on a warm plane.
Meanwhile, a flight attendant revealed she ‘judges’ passengers who order a popular brewed beverage onboard on a plane – as she blasted their selection as ‘sketchy’.
Leanna Coy, from New England, who works for an US-based airline, took to TikTok on 21 April to vent her frustrations at travellers who opt for the hot drink.
Plane passengers are more likely to faint if temperatures exceed 75°F (24°C), according to flight attendants
Posting a video to her page, @leannacoy, the flight attendant took aim at passengers who prefer to order decaffeinated coffee while cruising through the skies.
In an accompanying caption, she wrote: ‘Adults ordering apple juice? Pop off. Margherita at 10am? Slay. Bloody Mary? Gross, but that’s your preference. Decaf AIRPLANE coffee though?’
In the clip, she admitted she came to a realisation that she ‘judges’ passengers who order decaf coffee, as ‘ordering coffee on a plane is little bit sketchy.’
Leanne stressed that she understood a weary flyer or a pilot’s need for caffeinated drinks during their travels, as they would likely be tired and requiring an energy boost.
But she added: ‘You’re telling me you genuinely enjoy the taste of that airplane coffee so much that you’re willing to drink it – not out of the necessity for caffeine – just for the flavour itself?’
