You can't feel that you are falling - or rising, come to that - when the speed is constant. What you feel is acceleration (speed and/or direction changing), and a great many people are remarkably insensitive to vertical accelerations.
What is it about feelings in the ears?
When considering the vertical velocity of the drop and the alarm on cabin pression .. can be assumed that the phenomenon of pressure was felt by many passengers and crew members
Even in a lift .. some sensitive individuals experience the phenomenon of pressure