As a regular traveller, particularly on BA's 747-400 aircraft, I have never understood how the cabin temperature is or can be controlled by cabin staff.

I can imagine that temperature control is a complex issue involing different zones across the cabins, the cost implications of heating incoming fresh air, and the differing perceptions of customers as to what is a comfortable temperature.

Yesterday on BA's overnight flight from Las Vegas to London, several travellers were fanning themselves and dabbing themselves with water despite staff assurances that the temperature control had been turned down several times. Of course there are no individual air vents to enable passengers to direct their own air flows on these BA aircraft. Despite the assurances, the temparature did not decrease until breakfast time - after 8 hours.

Is it possible that the temperature control is managed via an on-board computer system e.g. is it programmed to encourage sleep at night, awakening at breakfast and is it locked so that cabin staff cannot change the temperature ? I really only notice this a problem with BA.

silverfox5678

Welcome to FT!

Depending on the aircraft type, either cabin crew or the flight deck controls the temperature. I cannot say for certain whether the 747 cabin crew can control it, but they do have this ability on all Airbus planes (look for the control settings in the galley, above the crew seats.)

Essentially 'fresh' air comes from the cabin top and is recirculated by the slits at the bottom side of the cabin walls. There are heating and air conditioning units in the plane that get the mix right, but essentially hot air passes by the engines, whereas there is plenty of cold air outside to regulate.

The 747-400 has a cabin temp control panel easily accessible to the cabin crew. They can adjust it up or down as easy as you can at home. Many crews do prefer a warm cabin during "sleeping" hours as it does encourage people to sleep and many people feel cold in the air.

You could always fly an airline that does have individual air nozzles for each seat.

Thank you for your clear and erudite response.

us air is notorious for jacking up the temp on overnight transatlantic flights. i quit using over the ear noise suppressor headphones as i got too hot.

The air is cooled, not heated.

The air comes from the compressor-section of the engines in order to get high-pressure air for pressurization. Due to it's high-pressure, it's already very hot and must be cooled significantly before it enters the cabin. Depending on the airplane, there are two or three cooling stages. Temperature is controlled by mixing air from different points in that process through a temperature mixing value. If you need it warmer the mixing valve mixes more hot air with less cold air, etc. Each zone has it's own mixing valve. All it takes is a simple thermostat control, not a computer, to control it though newer airplanes often have fancier control systems.