Cabin air inside a commercial passenger jet is deliberately kept at a humidity level of roughly twelve to twenty percent, making it literally drier than the majority of the Sahara Desert.

A closer look

Cabin air inside a commercial passenger jet is deliberately kept at a humidity level of roughly twelve to twenty percent, making it literally drier than the majority of the Sahara Desert. Airlines pump this bone-dry air into the cabin at high altitudes to prevent the metal fuselage from rusting and falling apart mid-flight, happily sacrificing your delicate skin and nasal passages to the gods of aerospace engineering. By the time you land after a grueling eight-hour flight, your face is tighter than a drum and you have aged approximately five years, all while paying exorbitant fees for the privilege of being chemically mummified in a cramped middle seat. It is highly recommended to drink copious amounts of water to combat this, but then you risk having to use the microscopic airplane lavatory, forcing you to choose between severe dehydration or a claustrophobic nightmare