Why Your Airplane Soda Tastes A Bit Different Than Usual

There are few moments on an airplane more enjoyable than when drink service begins. However, if you've ever taken that first sip of your favorite orange soda brand and thought the taste was off, you wouldn't be wrong. Soda does taste different when you reach your cruising altitude, but don't blame it on your flight attendant. Your taste buds and sense of smell just don't work the same when you are 30,000 feet off the ground in a pressurized cabin. Couple this with the lack of humidity, which makes your mouth feel dry, and it is a perfect storm for your palate.

The airlines are well aware of this conundrum. Germany's Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics was commissioned by German airline Lufthansa to do some taste tests. They discovered that the taste of sugar in food and drinks is 15% to 20% less intense when you are flying than when you are sitting in the airport lounge. But before you swear off drinking soda while in the air, know that different sodas are affected differently. 

One of the most beloved sodas that changes its nature in the air is Diet Coke. Not only does it taste a little different when it's poured, but it also foams up — a lot. The next time you are taking that red eye to Las Vegas, ask the flight attendant to crack one open and watch him or her pour it into a cup of ice. That said, while Diet Coke might taste different, so can ginger ale. While this probably isn't on your list of best sodas, being in the air actually can intensify the taste of ginger ale. Because your taste buds are dulled, those spicy ginger and vanilla notes actually can be more enjoyable.   

What about mixed alcoholic drinks like Lionel Messi's favorite wine and Sprite concoction or a low-calorie rum and diet Coke? These drinks also might not taste quite the same. 30% more sugar would need to be added to make up for the loss of your sweetness perception. But because airlines are aware of this issue, they often collab with beer and wine brands to combat it. For example, Delta and Tattinger partnered to craft a champagne that stays bubbly for longer.