[runnerup]

I follow most of my flights (especially takeoff/landing) with all the sensors in my smartphone. In flights without emergency events, the most useful for me is barometric pressure. When they suddenly drop the pressure by 20+% after achieving cruising altitude, half the plane shortly goes to sleep. I presume due to the lower partial pressure of oxygen.

[inferiorhuman]

Sure, but then you're talking 10,000 ft or more. The pressure differential between 2,200 ft and 775 ft is much smaller. It's possible some folks' ears popped, but IMO unlikely that they would've attributed it to a steep descent. Instead I'd expect folks chalked it up to the cabin pressurizing if they even noticed. If passengers noticed and thought there was something wrong this would've made news much sooner.

  I presume due to the lower partial pressure of oxygen.

Probably the lower oxygen content. My pilot friend claimed to have raised the cabin altitude a smidge back in the DC-10 days if FAs complained about e.g. noisy babies. I assume he's full of shit, but you never know.

[runnerup]

> The pressure differential between 2,200 ft and 775 ft is much smaller.

Irrelevant. The cabin pressure is controlled independently of the Earth's environmental altitude pressure.

> Probably the lower oxygen content.

That's literally exactly the same thing as the thing that I said.

[inferiorhuman]

The cabin won't be noticeably pressurized at 2,200 ft. While a 777 will pressurize the cabin slightly before takeoff the max cabin altitude is 8,000 ft. So, yes, there is a bigger change in pressure during an approach (from 8,000 ft cabin altitude to roughly the altitude of the field) than there is going into a steep dive from 2,200 ft.

[runnerup]

I might be stupid but I don’t understand what point you’re getting at?