Wizz Air's Cabin Air not so pink after all
Health and Safety Oversights at Wizz Air?
27 May 2024
by Bearnairdine Beaumont
‘FPU Romania /Europe has called on the European Commission to launch an immediate investigation into the lack of accountability that prevents state authorities from exercising authority over airlines and multinational companies such as Wizz Air. This situation raises serious questions about intra-European jurisdiction.
This follows numerous "fumes" reports. Previously the Romanian Labour Inspectorate had concluded that Wizz Air had failed to notify the relevant authorities of events involving toxic fumes. As a result, the authorities fined the airline and ordered an investigation into the employer's non-compliance.
In 2023, low-cost airline Wizz Air experienced a series of fume incidents caused by engine oil leaking into the air conditioning system of its Airbus A320/A321 aircraft. The story was published on Pro TV, Romania's largest news channel. For the first time, crew members dared to speak out and draw attention to a phenomenon that has the potential to endanger the health and safety of aircrew and passengers.’
‘First symptoms can be indistinguishable from those put down to ‘jet lag’. However, repeated exposures to even so-called ‘low-levels’ of often invisible fumes can become detrimental to our health. In the past commercial jets could not be officially blamed as a cause of mass ill-health in aircrew and passengers, and very few victims worked out the cause of their ill health, since being gassed is subtle, mostly invisible, and certainly not expected.
There is a change in this point of view becoming more and more apparent. Dr. Robert Harrison, at UCSF Occupational Health Clinic, said a single fume event can be enough to trigger serious and long-lasting health problems. Respiratory issues include tightness in the chest, difficulty breathing, and nervous system problems like headaches, dizziness, memory lapses, and tremors. “We did a large survey of flight attendants, found a pretty high prevalence of symptoms, and uncovered the iceberg, if you will, below the surface. There’s a large number of flight attendants who had symptoms but had never reported them,” said Dr. Harrison.’
Read the full article here:
Jetstar’s fumes show flying high is more toxic than you think
‘Settle back, relax and enjoy the flight, but try not to think about the air you might be breathing.
MICHAEL SAINSBURYMAY 31, 2024
A dirty little secret of the airline industry has again popped up its toxic head after four Jetstar cabin crew members were taken to hospital in Cairns on Thursday, having become overcome with fumes on a Queensland flight.’
‘Causal links
As with asbestos and tobacco, it will take many years of scientific study to prove a causal relationship between organophosphates and serious diseases such as cancer.
“Some crew who have been involved in CAQEs do subsequently experience ongoing ill health and may link their symptoms to the exposure, however, the research to date has not established any causative link,” the International Aviation Transport Association has said.
But while the industry doesn’t like to say so, it is critically aware of the problem.
In the US, there have been multiple lawsuits over at least a decade for aerotoxic syndrome. Pilot unions around the world, including the AFAP, have funded the development of a blood test to detect organophosphate derivatives in a pilot’s bloodstream. Final international certification and blood spot detection is being finalised by Dr Clem Furlong’s team at the University of Washington in Seattle.
Aviation lubricant manufacturer NYCO markets an engine oil that has no organophosphate additives used by some airlines in Embraer jets. And following Boeing’s advances on the 787, a new total air filtration system is being trialled by Airbus.
In the meantime, settle back, relax and enjoy the flight, but try not to think about the air you might be breathing.’
Read the full article here:
https://www.crikey.com.au/2024/05/31/jetstar-toxic-fumes-airlines/
Former RAF pilots and aircrew who 'dying from cancer' launch legal action against the MoD who they claim 'knew potential risks of toxic exhaust fumes' from military helicopters
By Katherine Lawton 29 May 2024
Mail Online
‘Former RAF pilots and aircrew allegedly dying of cancer have launched legal action against the Ministry of Defence who they claim knew the potential risks of toxic exhaust fumes coming from military helicopters.
Testimony from sick personnel and their families claims the MoD knew about the potential dangers for more than 10 years and failed to act on them.’
‘Documents exposed amid legal fights have revealed the government was aware of the dangers of the Sea King's exhaust as long ago as 1999.
But it carried on allowing aircrew to fly in the helicopter without safety precautions regardless of the risks.
Leading barrister at Normanton Chambers, Jonathan Dingle, said engine jet efflux gases - containing benzene carcinogens - 'were apparently being sucked through the cabin and out again through the cockpits - mixing as the air which everyone onboard the aircraft was breathing'.
Read the full article here:
Here’s the recent tip of the iceberg on fume events reported by the Aviation Herald and other sources:
Incident: Southwest B737 near Colorado Springs on May 27th 2024, smell of smoke in cabin
https://avherald.com/h?article=5193184e&opt=0
Incident: LH Cityline CRJ9 ner Hanover on May 26th 2024, smoke in cockpit
https://avherald.com/h?article=519256bc&opt=0
Incident: Lingus A320 at Madrid and Dublin on Apr 24th 2024, chemical odour on board (report created 24 May 2024)
https://avherald.com/h?article=519084c0&opt=0
Incident: British Airways A320 over North Sea on May 15th 2024, smoke in cockpit
https://avherald.com/h?article=518bdf13&opt=0
Delta flight from Atlanta to Denver made an emergency landing due to smoke in the cockpit.Tuesday, May 14 2024,
Delta flight #DL956 departed Atlanta at 22:28 EDT for a 3-hour-flight to Denver.
Incident: France B772 near Montreal on May 9th 2024, smoke in cabin
https://avherald.com/h?article=518bdbc6&opt=0
Incident: Lufthansa B748 over Atlantic on May 9th 2024, electrical odour on board
https://avherald.com/h?article=5187c123&opt=0
Smoke in the cockpit forces Finnair ATR 72-500 to evacuate 09 May 2024
Incident: Ethiopian DH8D at Addis Ababa on May 7th 2024, smoke in cabin
https://avherald.com/h?article=5185e006&opt=0
Incident: Lufthansa A320 near Stuttgart on May 6th 2024, unusual odour on board
https://avherald.com/h?article=5185576a&opt=0
Accident: Laser MD82 at Caracas on Apr 28th 2024, smoke from fuselage on departure
https://avherald.com/h?article=518002f2&opt=0
Incident: France B772 near Baku on Apr 24th 2024, smoke on board
https://avherald.com/h?article=517d8384&opt=0
Incident: Bonza B38M at Sunshine Coast on Apr 23rd 2024, fumes in cockpit
https://avherald.com/h?article=517cce49&opt=0
Incident: Lufthansa A20N near Frankfurt on Apr 19th 2024, odour on board
https://avherald.com/h?article=517c5c23&opt=0
Incident: Austrian E195 near Budapest on Apr 20th 2024, a little smell on board
https://avherald.com/h?article=517c58ab&opt=0
Incident: PSA CRJ9 at Charlotte on Apr 22nd 2024, odour in cabin
https://avherald.com/h?article=517b9d30&opt=0
Incident: Wideroe DH8D near Bergen on Apr 21st 2024, smoke in cabin, engine shut down in flight
https://avherald.com/h?article=517b9895&opt=0
Incident: Lufthansa A359 near Frankfurt on Apr 19th 2024, smoke in aft galley
https://avherald.com/h?article=517a4770&opt=0
Incident: Easyjet A320 near Hanover on Apr 17th 2024, smoke in cockpit
https://avherald.com/h?article=5179ba66&opt=0
Australian ATSB Investigation results -
Accident: National System B712 at Hobart on Jun 6th 2023, flight crew nearly incapacitated after chlorine like smell on flight deck
https://avherald.com/h?article=50b08401&opt=0
Iranian CAA/AAIB Investigation results -
Incident: Iran A306 at Tabriz on Oct 23rd 2023, smoke in cockpit and cabin
‘The Cause of incident was entering smoke into the hot air system of cabin due to oil leakage from the broken bearing manifold of the left engine.’
https://avherald.com/h?article=510d9dd4&opt=0
Incident: France A319 near Budapest on Apr 8th 2024, fumes in cockpit
https://avherald.com/h?article=51735412&opt=0
Incident: France A318 at Nice on Apr 2nd 2024, burning odour in cockpit
https://avherald.com/h?article=516f5e32&opt=0
Despite passengers being involved in some of those fume events, it’s doubtful they considered the possible health implications of exposure to toxic fumes and asked the airline exactly what toxins they had been exposed to.
Generally, people believe that only high levels of chemical fumes, such as those experienced during fume events, have the potential to cause health issues.
This is not the case.
Chemicals are released into bleed-air aircraft cabins and cockpits through the Environmental Control System (ECS) even during what are considered regular flights; but because they are at low levels and perhaps because they are just transient or come and go occasionally, it’s ignored, considered normal and a regular part of flying.
Have you ever smelt your onboard gilet/apron/waistcoat/jacket after a flight?
How about your uniform jacket and trousers, skirt or dress?
It’s quite distinctive isn’t it?
I remember it well. We used to call it Eau de Boeing or Eau de Airbus.
Actually, the make of aircraft didn’t matter because they both use the same oils and hydraulic fluids which produce the same fumes and the same smells.
Many of the chemicals in the mixture which creates the fumes in the cabin and the smell which permeates your uniform are Endocrine Disruptors and are known to cause health issues through hormonal pathways in the human body - even at low levels of exposure.
The link below explains further:
https://academic.oup.com/edrv/article/33/3/378/2354852?login=false
Some of the Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals found in aircraft cabin and cockpit air to date:
Ethylbenzene
Styrene
Benzyl chloride
Vinyl acetate,
Propylene glycol methyl ether acetate / 1-Methoxy-2-propyl acetate Mesitylene / 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene
Toluene / Methyl benzene
Tetrahydrofuran
Hexane / N-hexane
Octane / N-Octane
Butyl cellosolve (glycol ether) / 2-Butoxyethanol
Nonane / N-Nonane
Decanal
Undecanal
Propylene
Triphenyl phosphate
Tris(chloro-ethyl) phosphate / Tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate / TCEP Homosalate
Benzeneacetaldehyde
Propionaldehyde / Propanal
Tributyl phosphate / Tri-n-butyl phosphate / TBP Tetrachloroethylene / Tetrachloroethene
Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)
Xylene mixture of isomers
Tris(chloro-isopropyl) phosphate / TCPP / 1-Chloro-2-propanophosphate / TCPP-1 Tris(1,3-dichloro-isopropyl) phosphate / TDCPP
Limonene
Benzyl Acetate
AHTN / Acetyl hexamethyl tetralin
Methyl t-butyl ether
Benzo(b)fluoranthene
Fluoranthene
Acenaphthylene
Benzo(k)fluoranthene
Phenothrin / Sumithrin
PCB 52
Crotonaldehyde (cis/trans) / 2-Butenal
1,2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, mono(2-ethylhexyl) ester Formaldehyde
Benzo(a)pyrene
Benzene, 1-3 dichloro / 1,3-dichlorobenzene Glycidol Octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane
Carbon tetrachloride benzo[a]anthracene
Ethanol
Methanol
Isopropyl alcohol / Isopropanol / Propan-2-ol Chloroform
Benzene
Methyl bromide / Bromomethane Acetaldehyde
methylene chloride / dichloromethane
formamide (dimethyl)
Carbon disulfide Bromodichloromethane
Tri-p-cresyl phosphate
Tris(butoxy-ethyl) phosphate / Tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate Isoprene
Butanone / 2-butanone
Trichloroethylene / Trichloroethene Methylmethacrylate / Methyl methacrylate
Diethyl phthalate
Diisobutyl phthalate
Dibutyl phthalate
Butyl Benzyl Phthalate 1,2-dichlorobenzene
‘EDCs can disrupt many different hormones, which is why they have been linked to numerous adverse human health outcomes including alterations in sperm quality and fertility, abnormalities in sex organs, endometriosis, early puberty, altered nervous system function, immune function, certain cancers, respiratory problems, metabolic issues, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular problems, growth, neurological and learning disabilities, and more.’
https://www.endocrine.org/patient-engagement/endocrine-library/edcs
Unfortunately, until pilot and cabin crew communities understand the dangers and demand change, the practice of exposing them and their passengers to toxic chemicals onboard will continue.
For further information on Aerotoxic Syndrome, testimonies, medical information and much more, please visit:
And -
The GCAQE are holding a conference on Aircraft Cabin Air on 17th and 18th September 2024 at Imperial College London.
This may be of interest to those who hold senior positions within the Aviation Industry, Health Services and Government Departments for Transport and Health.
Tickets are available here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/aircraft-cabin-air-conference-2024-tickets-782620217137
Thank you for your continued support, for sharing this information with your friends and family and for the donations to Change.org in support of this petition which enables it to be shared with more people.
It’s much appreciated.
Many Thanks.