You actually lose a large percentage of your taste buds while on an airplane. This might explain a lot about those less-than-stellar in-flight meals, or why you find yourself craving the saltiest foods while in the sky.
To be fair, you don't "lose" them in the "they die off and have to grow back" sense... you lose a ton of sensitivity due to the air pressure decrease, but it recovers once the pressure returns when you land. Growing back would take days/weeks.
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