Originally Posted by
CallBell
"What caused so many passengers to activate more masks? "
It may also be explained by passengers grabbing more than one mask, thinking the first one is not working.
I suspect this is more likely.
In a block of seats, if only two seats were occupied but 4 masks were swinging I would probably grab hold of them and in the process activate them.
Having experienced several rapid descents I can say it is not a comfortable experience even if the angle of dangle is only 6 degrees, the noise level and temperature drop will all contribute to the anxiety factor.