Gate 41Things that look scary but have an explanation
Why is there fog coming out of the vents?
Smoke is coming out of the air vents! Wait, is it smoke?
On warm, humid days, the cabin air-conditioning pumps out very cold, dry air. When it meets the humid air in the cabin, the moisture condenses into a fine mist, just like your breath on a cold day.
It is harmless water vapour and vanishes within seconds. You mostly see it on the ground or at low altitude in humid climates, and the crew will tell you if there is any real concern.
A little deeper
The cold air coming from the air-conditioning packs can be well below the dew point of the cabin air, which is what causes the mist. Dry cruise air removes the effect.
Real smoke smells like smoke and does not disappear immediately. Crews are trained for both and have procedures for either.
See it in Gate 41, in the cabin
Related questions
People involved
- Nadia RahmanCabin crew (purser)
- Kenji WatanabeAircraft maintenance engineer