UKC

When I have travelled anywhere by air I usually experience a discomfort in my ears during descent for landing due to pressure build up. I usually combat this by sucking boiled sweets and swallowing. I usually get an indication during the early stages of descent and get the sweeties ready.

On my recent flights to and from France I experienced no suggestion of any pressure build up.

My understanding is that aircraft cabins are/were pressurised to about 8000 feet. I'm just wondering if the pressurisation systems has been changed such that the cabin pressure remains equivalent to ground level. Interested to hear from any "pros".

Short-haul are usually lower pressurised, more modern aircraft are able to wirhstand lower altitude pressurisation and the older you are the less it affects you, take your pick. I'm not aware of any commercial aircraft that could physically withstand sea-level pressurisation, the best ones now can cope with 6.000ft.

In the cruise the Airbus cabin is pressurised to  around 7000-7500ft, depending on the cruise level. On take off it might be because most crews are still doing packs on departures since covid (the air conditioning packs are often turned off for take off to reduce engine wear, but were  left on during covid to keep the air flowing through the cabin). So you wouldn’t get a rapid change when the packs go back on. On descent it’s probably just a physiological thing in your ears.
 

787/350 are pressurised to a lower altitude due to their different construction. 
 

nothing is pressurised to sea level as it would put too much strain on the airframe for very little gain.

you might have been on a newer aircraft this time with a better pressurisation controller which might have prevented your issue, or perhaps on previous flights your ears were slightly blocked. It can be very uncomfortable flying with even a slight constriction in the ear. 
 

Thanks for the informative replies. I did have my ears "de-waxed" about six weeks previously so maybe...

Not a pilot, not an aircraft engineer but I have done a little diving.

With diving you have a similar situation when you descend in water. The pressure inside your ears (and sinus cavities etc etc) bcomes less than the surrounding pressure as you descend. This is analogous to when the plane descends for landing and the cabin pressure is increased.

In the case of diving the situation is on a far bigger scale (every 10m descent is about a whole extra atm of pressure) and equalising ears is a basic/essential skill in diving, you do it about every metre and doing it before discomfort not after experiencing discomfort.

It is possible to "equalise" and increase the pressure gently in your ears/sinuses, diving instructors frequently advise that this can help people who experience discomfort on descent in flights, often caused by having a bit of congestion (although if you do have congestion then don't dive until it is gone).

The method is to block your nose (pinch with finger/thumb) and *GENTLY* pressurise by breathing into your nose to "pop" your ears and sinuses to equalise them with the cabin pressure . Oh did I say to be careful and do it GENTLY!

^ This is the best way to equalize your ears 👍🏼