In January we received hardly any reports at all - particularly from crew members. This is due to employees being frightened of their employers (the airlines) and the possibility of being sacked from their jobs if they were to report fume events anywhere other than to their airline or regulator. Crew members are not permitted to discuss any safety related issues publicly as this would be seen as bringing their airline into disrepute. Many crew are even frightened of reporting safety related issues directly to their airline. So much for openness and transparency.
So much is the fear of targeting within airlines, an independent body was set up for airline employees to report (confidentially) safety related incidents:
‘CHIRP compliments the CAA Mandatory Occurrence Reporting system and other formal reporting systems operated by many UK organisations, by providing a means by which individuals are able to raise safety-related issues of concern without being identified to their peer group, management, or the Regulatory Authority.’
https://www.chirp.co.uk/what-we-do/aviation-programm
The airline industry prefers to keep the issue of fume events ‘in house’ and away from the eyes of the public. This enables airlines to continue denying that fume events occur and for regulators to say that fume events are rare. This in turn allows them to state that any that long-term health effects are ‘unlikely’. Meanwhile, the injuries and deaths amongst crew communities continue to rise.
Fume Events - January 2020
02 January - British Airways
Flight Number: BA 633 Registration: G-EUYM
Airbus A320-200
Athens/London Heathrow
Fume Event In Cockpit on approach into Heathrow.
First Officer (flying the aircraft) passed out. Captain landed the aircraft safely.
British Airways deny the FO passed out.
http://avherald.com/h?article=4d189839&opt=0
06 January - British Airways
Flight Number: BA1449 Registration: G-EUXE
Airbus A321-200
Edinburgh/London Heathrow
Fume Event - Aircraft made an emergency landing into London Heathrow where the aircraft was grounded until 12th January.
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/flight-edinburgh-london-declares-mid-21226097
06 January - British Airways
Flight Number: BA1414 Registration: G- EUUV
Airbus A320-200
London Heathrow - Belfast
Fume Event - the return flight BA 1423 was cancelled. The aircraft was positioned (no passengers) back to London Heathrow on 07 January as Flight Number BA9270 and grounded until 12th January.
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/british-airways-executive-club/2003068-ba1414-lhr-bhd-g-euuv-smell-cockpit.html
06 January - Spirit Airlines
Flight Number: NK1030 Registration: N534NK
Airbus A319-100
Cancun - Baltimore
Fumes onboard - Passengers & Crew injured.
http://avherald.com/h?article=4d1b4dd7&opt=0
09 January - El Al
Flight Number: LY 26 Registration: 4X-ECC
Boeing 777-200
Newark NJ - Tel Aviv
Smell of smoke in rear galley area. Diverted to Halifax.
http://avherald.com/h?article=4d1c7759&opt=0
A news report stated ‘smoke in the cockpit’.
https://www.halifaxtoday.ca/local-news/flight-bound-for-israel-makes-emergency-landing-in-halifax-after-reports-of-smoke-in-cockpit-2011481
10 January - Spirit Airlines
Flight Number: NK1035 Registration: N529NK
Airbus 319-100
Newark NJ - Santo Domingo
Electrical burning odour in cockpit. Diverted to Atlantic City. Remained on the ground for 4 hours then continued to Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic).
http://avherald.com/h?article=4d1c8e5e&opt=0l
12 January - British Airways
Flight Number: BA 274 Registration: G-CIVE
Boeing 747-400
Las Vegas/London Heathrow
Alleged fumes detected prior to departure. Allegedly some crew members fell ill due to fumes onboard during the flight. The fumes were allegedly detected in the flight deck also.
Allegedly, the fumes were stronger on descent/landing into LHR.
Allegedly the Flight Crew reported the incident and de-briefed after the flight but the aircraft was not removed from service for investigation, but remained in service operating a London - Cape Town service within hours of the Las Vegas arrival.
17 January - Air Italy
Flight Number: IG-1113 Registration: EI-FFM
Boeing 737-700
Olbia - Rome Fiumicino
Smoke developed throughout the cabin.
Aircraft returned to Olbia.
http://avherald.com/h?article=4d21ed81
17 January - British Airways
Flight Number: BA4473 Registration: G-LCAB
Dublin - London City
Burning odour onboard.
http://avherald.com/h?article=4d21f1f1&opt=0
21 January - Ryanair
Flight Number: FR-1006 Registration: EI-EVH
Boeing 737-800
Bucharest - London Stansted
Smoke onboard. Returned to Bucharest.
http://avherald.com/h?article=4d23dca8
21 January - Mesa Airlines
Flight Number: UA-6011 Registration: N501MJ
Canadair CRJ-700
Charlotte - Washington Dulles
Bad odour and smoke in the cabin.
Returned to Charlotte.
http://avherald.com/h?article=4d24edc9&opt=0
Tell us when you have been involved in a Fume Event here:
https://form.jotformeu.com/70372607651354
If you are crew, please also report the incident to your Airline and Trade Union.
For more information on Aerotoxicity, Aerotoxic Syndrome and to read studies and evidence - visit www.aerotoxicteam.com