In another mid-air scare, an Ethiopian Airlines flight ET640, en route from Addis Ababa to Mumbai, was forced to make an emergency landing recently after a cabin depressurisation incident. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, cruising 33,000 ft over the Arabian Sea, experienced a sudden loss of cabin pressure, prompting pilots to descend rapidly. Upon landing, seven passengers were treated for decompression-related symptoms by the airport medical team.
Before we delve into the concept, we must know that airplanes are pressurised to simulate a lower altitude, typically around 6,000 to 8,000 ft, even when the plane is flying much higher. This pressurisation is crucial for passenger safety, as it helps to prevent oxygen deficiency. This process is called cabin pressurisation, in which air is pumped into an aircraft or spacecraft to create a safe breathing environment for humans flying at high altitudes.