Effect of scent on comfort of aircraft passengers.
Xinhe Yao, Yu Song, Peter Vink
PMID 33337427WHAT IT FOUND
Scenting an aircraft cabin did not stop comfort from dropping or discomfort from rising over 60 minutes.
Mandarin slightly helped at first, but lavender made people feel worse. Stronger scents did not improve results. Personalising cabin smells may work better than one scent for everyone.
Key findings
01In all sessions, discomfort increased after 60 minutes, and comfort often dropped over time once scents were introduced, with the trend of decreasing comfort or increasing discomfort not changing by adding scents.
02Mandarin significantly raised comfort at the beginning of the experiment compared with control groups, whereas lavender and cedar showed no significant comfort differences versus controls.
03Strong lavender produced a significant drop in emotion from beginning to end and the lowest emotion score at the end, while stronger scents did not achieve better results.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they found
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What it does not show
The study used university students in a simulated flight environment, which may not reflect the general population or real-flight conditions. Participants were allowed to walk around and use phones, which differs from typical seated flight behaviour. Participants were informed about the scents beforehand to prevent allergies, which may have influenced their perceptions. The control groups were not combined due to varying weather conditions (temperature, humidity, pressure) across the three days, limiting statistical power. Personal preference for scents and genetic differences in odor receptors led to large variations in outcomes. The study did not account for the existing 'context smell' of the cabin, which mixed with the added scents.
Declared interests
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that aromatherapy improves comfort on flights. The study found that adding scent did not change the trend of decreasing comfort or increasing discomfort over time, and strong lavender actually worsened emotional scores. The primary finding is that one scent does not suit everyone, and personalisation is likely necessary.