I’m a pilot – here’s the bizarre reason food always tastes different when you’re flying

A PILOT has revealed the real reason why food tastes so different on planes.

Frequent flyers will know that flavours and smells are not the same once you're thousands of feet in the air.

And Pilot James Bushe, who works with LoganAir, claims there is a significant difference in aircraft recipes to compensate for this.

He explains: “Our taste buds don't quite work the same in the air.

“And things don't taste as salty. 

“To make up for it, plane food is given that little bit extra seasoning.”

Once at altitude, a mixture of pressure and dry air makes a significant difference to taste bud sensitivity.

It’s estimated our perception of saltiness and sweetness drops by around 30 percent.

This could explain why a lot of people rarely enjoy their food on a flight.

Without extra seasoning, it’s going to be harder to taste the normal flavours as people would on the ground.

Cabin pressurisation also causes our mucus membranes to swell, reducing our sense of smell which also affects our enjoyment of meals.

Meanwhile, TikToker Joumana Belghiti shared a simple hack showing how she snuck extra items onto a recent flight.

The influencer flew with budget airline Ryanair and wanted to bring more than the baggage allowance with her, without putting her hands in her pocket.

The airline allowed her to take one free bag on the flight so she decided to take matters into her own hands and wear four layers of clothes.

She showed off the numerous pairs of trousers hiding under her dreams in a short clip that went viral.

Fellow TikTok users were quick to say that they would be trying the trick themselves.

The video now has more than 366,000 views.

Joumana said: “When Ryanair think the finessed me with their luggage restrictions but I’m heading to the airport in four pants.”

One person commented: “You just put the pants on before boarding and take them off in the plane bathroom.”