Something in the Air?
File On 4 - BBC Radio 4
Tuesday 25 February @ 8PM & Repeated on Sunday 01 March @ 3PM

‘As pilots and cabin crew claim exposure to toxic air and fume events is making them ill, how are airlines, manufacturers and regulators handling the issue of "aerotoxicity"?

In January 2020, a British Airways flight from Athens to London issued a mayday emergency call when the pilot flying the plane became incapacitated during a "fume event". The airline industry does not reveal how often fume events happen, but according to some estimates they occur every day.
Pilots and cabin crew say that sudden fume events and long term low level exposure to toxic cabin air is making them seriously ill and in some cases causing premature deaths. The industry insists that serious leaks of toxic gas into cockpits and cabins are relatively very rare, given the number of flights each day. And that no causal link between toxic cabin air and health problems has yet been proven. But airlines faces multiple court cases later this year.
For the first time, on File on 4, a representative of the airline industry agrees to face questions on fume events, lack of transparency and claims that the health of hundreds of pilots, cabin crew and frequent fliers is being put at risk.
We reveal confidential airline and coroners documents in connection with fume events and so called "aerotoxicity". We hear from pilots and crew who say they've been poisoned by toxic cabin air. And from scientists about research being done on potential links between airline cabin contamination and neurological health.’
Presenter: Mike Powell
Producer: Paul Waters
Editor: Andrew Smith

Release date:
25 February 2020
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000fp62

Tuesday 25 February @ 2000 & repeated Sunday 01 March @ 1500
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000fp62