London – Pilots have reported 167 cases of toxic cabin fumes or smoke in only four months, official safety figures reveal.
Twelve of the cases resulted in the pilots requesting a priority landing, one flight was diverted and on two flights the pilots made an emergency Mayday call.
Among the worst cases, one incident report in February noted: ‘Fumes in cabin. Eleven of the cabin crew became unwell during flight, with symptoms of light headedness, nausea and “sea sickness”. Oxygen administered. Aircraft returned.’
The figures have re-opened the argument about whether prolonged exposure to the air in planes is safe for passengers and crew.
Details emerged in a report broadcast last night by ITV News, which has seen copies of the Civil Aviation Authority’s safety reports from December 2014 to March 2015. These reveal 167 cases of fumes or smoke in the cabin, not attributable to faulty ovens, coffee brewers or toilets.
In February a coroner warned that airlines must take action to prevent passenger deaths from toxic fumes inside aircraft cabins. Dorset coroner Sheriff Payne said pressurised air tainted with jet fuel is risking the lives of everyone travelling on planes.
He issued the warning after initial investigations into the death of British Airways pilot Richard Westgate in 2012.
The 43-year-old, from Marlborough, Wiltshire, had suffered years of persistent headaches, nausea and chronic fatigue, which he long suspected was caused by toxic fumes in cockpits. Mr Payne’s warning came days after the Daily Mail revealed how the poisoning fears over air in holiday planes had sparked accusations that airlines had been ignoring safety concerns for 15 years.
The coroner’s intervention was the first official recognition of Aerotoxic Syndrome, thought to be linked to memory loss, tremors, lethargy, headaches, tinnitus, confusion, breathing difficulties and even death.
Many former pilots, co-pilots and aircrew staff believe they have suffered long-term illnesses because of the amount of time they have spent exposed to cabin air and ‘toxic fumes’.
The pilots’ union BALPA has raised concerns.
Since 1999, the air industry has denied a link between ‘fume events’ and medical problems. But a growing number of experts warn prolonged exposure is hazardous.
The problems are thought to arise when cabin air is drawn from the hot engines. Passengers are usually isolated from this ‘bleed air’ – but airlines accept that sometimes there is a leak and jet fuel contaminates the air with compounds called ‘organophosphates’.
In small quantities, these compounds may not be harmful – campaigners say it is most likely to create problems for frequent fliers and airline staff.
The Civil Aviation Authority said several expert studies on cabin air quality have been carried out in recent years. ‘The overall conclusion has been that there is no positive evidence of a link between exposure to contaminants in cabin air and possible long-term health effects – although such a link cannot be excluded,’ it added.
‘Passenger and crew safety is of paramount importance to the CAA and we are constantly working to enhance safety standards.’
Daily Mail