August 8, 2025, 4:19 am | Read time: 2 minutes
Out of the sun and into the icy plane home–everyone knows the “problem.” Airplanes often have low temperatures, which many passengers complain about. But the low temperatures are intentional! There is a compelling and, above all, health-related reason why the air conditioning in airplanes is always running at full blast, making it quite cold.
A study by the “American Society for Testing and Materials” explained the scientific reason for the cold in airplanes. The investigation was prompted by the connection between a sudden, short-lived loss of consciousness (syncope) and the temperature and air pressure in a cabin.
Cold in Airplanes Aims to Prevent Fainting
Due to a lack of oxygen supply to the tissue, known in medicine as hypoxia, people on board an airplane are proven to lose consciousness faster than on the ground. According to the study, this is further exacerbated by the high air pressure present during a flight in the cabin and excessively high temperatures.
This is also confirmed by a Lufthansa spokesperson when asked by TRAVELBOOK. “Cool temperatures protect against circulatory problems. Therefore, the temperature on board is kept relatively low. The crew ensures a comfortable room temperature for passengers (usually between 68 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit).” The crew can adjust the temperature by a few degrees if passengers, for example, complain. According to the airline spokesperson, there are no explicit guidelines for the temperature on board an aircraft.
Also interesting: Can feces from the airplane toilet fall on my head?
A Condor spokesperson explained to TRAVELBOOK that minor temperature changes within a range of up to two degrees Celsius can be made by the flight attendants themselves. “Changes beyond this range must be made from the cockpit.”