Why does swallowing help in airplanes when altitude increases?

Swallowing helps unblock the ears when the altitude DEcreases, not INcreases. When the altitude increases people do not feel discomfort in their ears.

Swallowing, chewing gum, or eating hard candy equalizes the pressure difference on the inside and outside of the ear drum. If these methods do not work pinch both of your nostrils and exhale sharply through your nose.

Swallowing and also chewing helps equalize the pressure on the inner ear and reduces the discomfort you feel.

A faster way to equalize is to do what scuba divers do...pinch your nostrils closed and blow out through your nose. Do this on a regular basis while the plane is climbing and descending before the discomfort sets in.

It helps to open the tube that balances the air pressure in the ears. This runs from your throat to your ears.

It helps to open your eustachian tubes which equalizes the pressure on your eardrums. Yawning also helps...

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It helps equalize the pressure in the eustachion tubes

Some planes like the Boeing 787 Dreamliner are more highly pressurized, so your inner ear feels less of the effect of increasing altitude. You also arrive feeling more refreshed and well-rested.

But if you go down a hill and swallow, the air comes in the middle ear. Why doesn't the air come into the ear instead of escaping out of the Eustachian tube as you move up.

It unpops the ears. Reducing discomfort.