Contaminated cabin air - A step-by-step introduction

1. BALPA, the UK's main pilot union says there is a problem with cabin air quality

In April 2005, BALPA, the UK’s largest union representing airline pilots held the “Air Safety and Cabin Air Quality” conference over two days in London. As a result a 320 page report was produced.

“Is there a problem?”
“The answer is quite clear – Yes.”
“Story after story, study after study, testimony after testimony from across the world and from other industries with similar exposures, show that chemicals exposures of the type experienced by workers in the aviation industry cause health problems.”

PDF BALPA Air Safety and Cabin Air Quality Conference Report pdf page 314 onwards has a summary plus an endorsement from many leading scientists and doctors

BALPA General secretary on the subject (Video)

2. Independent studies indicate the scale of the problem

Dr Sarah Mackenzie Ross of University College London says in her report:

“... this could indicate that up to 1,967 flights in the UK may have experienced contaminated air events during 2004. If a modest passenger number of 100 per flight is assumed, over 196,000 passengers could potentially present to general physicians with symptoms of acute toxicity.”

Ill health following exposure to contaminated aircraft air: psychosomatic disorder or neurological injury? (quote from page 523)

3. The UK government admits there "may" be a problem

This report from the UK government Committee on Toxicity (COT) admits that contaminated cabin air can cause short term health problems, but can't seem to understand that long term sickness can result from repeated exposures.

“86. It was not possible on the basis of the available evidence in the BALPA submission or that sourced by the Secretariat and DH Toxicology Unit to conclude that there is a causal association between cabin air exposures (either general or following incidents) and ill-health in commercial aircraft crews. However, we noted a number of oil/hydraulic fluid smoke/fume contamination incidents where the temporal relationship between reports of exposure and acute health symptoms provided evidence that an association was plausible (paragraphs 54 and 74).”

Government COT Report 20th September 2007

4. The House of Lords recommends urgent action

Here is a part of the 2007 House of Lords enquiry recommendations for urgent action on identifying the chemicals in fume events. None of the research has yet been completed.

“4.50. We recommend that the AHWG-sponsored research to identify the substances produced during a fume event be completed urgently. It should be followed up by an epidemiological study on pilots to ascertain the incidence and prevalence of ill health in air crew and any association there might be with exposure to the chemicals identified in the AHWG-sponsored study, paying particular attention to the synergistic effect of these chemicals.”

PDF House of Lords Science and Technology Committee. Air Travel and Health: an Update

5. Boeing 787: Clean cabin air

In evidence from the House of Lords enquiry, Boeing admit that traditional bleed air design is flawed.

“The Boeing 787 will have a no-bleed architecture for the outside air supply to the cabin. This architecture eliminates the risk of engine oil decomposition products from being introduced in the cabin supply air in the rare event of a failed engine compressor seal. In addition, this architecture improves fuel efficiency, thus reducing fuel burn and associated engine emissions.”

Memorandum by the Boeing Company

6. House of Commons debate 1st July 2009.

Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs question the Government over the slowness of the Cranfield tests etc. The Aerotoxic Association is mentioned by John Maples MP.

Air Quality (Aircraft) Westminster Hall debates, 1 July 2009, 2:30 pm