Do things taste better on planes?

A study by Cornell University revealed our sense of taste – specifically sweet and umami (savoury) flavours – is impacted by noisy environments like aeroplanes. This is just one of the reasons why you'll find that a strongly flavoured savoury dish like a curry tastes much better than a strawberry cheesecake.



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It's been proven time and again that our taste buds act a little differently when we fly. This is because the drier air and cabin pressure can dull our sense of taste and smell, making certain food and drink taste a bit different than they do on the ground.

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Under the low cabin pressure, our taste detectors and sense of smell are completely different. Whilst on the ground tomato juice, such as V8 Original, is a savoury delight. However, once in the air it becomes an instantly sweet and fruity drink – the perfect, refreshing treat on a long-haul flight.

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Tomato juice tastes better on a plane because the strong, natural flavours of tomato juice taste more intense and satisfying when your taste buds are being suppressed by cabin pressure. This also explains why aeroplane food tastes bland.

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The dry cabin air messes with our odor receptors, and since things taste differently when our sense of smell is impaired—think about eating when you have a cold—food tastes blander on a plane than it does on the ground. That same principle is what makes tomato juice taste better in the air.

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FAA requires 8 hours from bottle to throttle. Some company rules are more restrictive. 10 or 12 hours before any assigned duty is common. If I'm on call the next day then I have to stop drinking 10 hours before my reserve time starts.

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Yes, airlines reserve the right to deny boarding to passengers who appear to be excessively intoxicated or disruptive.

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The FAA provides strict rules that regulate the consumption of alcohol by pilots and crew members of any civil aircraft, whether it is a commercial or private aircraft. A pilot or crew member who violates any of these provisions faces imprisonment, fines, and revocation of his or her pilot's license.

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A pilot who is found to be intoxicated could be fired, lose their pilot's license and face legal action, Keyes told USA TODAY in an email.

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Scientists and safety experts would have you stick to room-temperature bottled water—not from that open pitcher on the beverage cart and not with ice (which may contain harmful bacteria).

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