The cabin pressure on most jets is equivalent to the atmospheric pressure of 8000 feet. This means that there is less oxygen in the air, which in turn drops the oxygen saturation in your bloodstream. On the ground your oxygen saturation in your blood should be 98-99%, whilst in the air it can drop to as little as 93-94%. This has very little effect on most passengers as they are normally seated throughout the flight, and very little movement is required. The most common symptom is tiredness, and some people feel a little colder than normal, although that is more than likely due to inactivity.
Air expands at higher altitudes, and becomes denser at lower altitudes. This is what normally causes ear pain on flights. Some discomfort is normally felt on takeoff/climb, but the bulk of it is felt on descent/landing as the expanded air in the inner ear (Eustachian tubes) gets compressed, causing the ears to'pop'. If you are flying with a cold (or have problems in your inner ears) it is likely to cause a lot of pain, and in case of a complete blockage this can lead to a ruptured eardrum.
Tooth cavities can also cause immense pain at altitude, especially where air is trapped inside the tooth where the nerves are. As the air expands at higher altitudes it has nowhere to go, and presses on the nerves. This is excruciating, and aircrew are normally grounded until it has been rectified.
Due to the oxygen saturation I mentioned above, alcohol becomes about 3 times as potent in the air as it does on ground. The alcohol itself is not stronger, but the body is unable to cope well with alcohol at altitude. A large bulk of passenger safety related issues is caused by alcohol. People are not aware that their ability to drink is impaired by flying, and so what a person safely can consume on ground can lead to life threatening symptoms in the air. Im not telling you not to drink, just to take it easy... Also, it is illegal to be drunk on an aircraft!
Air expands at higher altitudes, and becomes denser at lower altitudes. This is what normally causes ear pain on flights. Some discomfort is normally felt on takeoff/climb, but the bulk of it is felt on descent/landing as the expanded air in the inner ear (Eustachian tubes) gets compressed, causing the ears to'pop'. If you are flying with a cold (or have problems in your inner ears) it is likely to cause a lot of pain, and in case of a complete blockage this can lead to a ruptured eardrum.
Tooth cavities can also cause immense pain at altitude, especially where air is trapped inside the tooth where the nerves are. As the air expands at higher altitudes it has nowhere to go, and presses on the nerves. This is excruciating, and aircrew are normally grounded until it has been rectified.
Due to the oxygen saturation I mentioned above, alcohol becomes about 3 times as potent in the air as it does on ground. The alcohol itself is not stronger, but the body is unable to cope well with alcohol at altitude. A large bulk of passenger safety related issues is caused by alcohol. People are not aware that their ability to drink is impaired by flying, and so what a person safely can consume on ground can lead to life threatening symptoms in the air. Im not telling you not to drink, just to take it easy... Also, it is illegal to be drunk on an aircraft!
Source(s):
Ex Flight Purser and Cabin Crew Safety Trainer
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