For over six decades, there has been general awareness that flying in commercial jets may cause serious illness in some flyers, both passengers and aircrew ranging from acute, in-flight sickness to more chronic jet lag, even from a single flight.
Many different toxic chemicals are found in airliner cabins which might account for illness and are conveyed by a design flaw of using unmonitored, unfiltered ‘Bleed air’ into jets.
‘Bleed air’ was first used in the 1950’s, where products of combustion mix with air in the engine, as the seals are designed to leak and then piped straight into the cabin, but over 10 years with no seal changes due to high costs, seal efficiency worsens significantly over time.
Toxic chemicals are added to jet engine oil and include organophosphates – a known nerve agent, as anti-wear additives which make jet engines last longer but have been blamed by some for over 20 years for both acute and chronic ill health in some flyers.
However more recently, Carbon Monoxide (CO) gas which cannot be smelt, seen or tasted has been identified as the most likely chemical of concern as a well understood deadly product of part combustion.
CO is a tiny molecule and can pass clean through most filters and that is why there is no point in manufacturers trying to filter bleed air.
Most public places have $15 CO monitors to warn of deadly low concentrations of 9 parts per million (9 ppm), yet no multi-million-dollar public transport jets have any CO sensors fitted, deliberately.
With the instant digital revolution now in full swing, it is only a matter of time before the flying public monitor CO in their own environment and take steps to limit their personal exposure on any flight or confined space situation, however drastic…
No one can unknow – once one knows & finally, Boeing 787 Dreamliner (2009) does NOT use Bleed air nor needs CO sensors!!
Contact:
John Grahame Hoyte
Chairman Aerotoxic Association Ltd. The Charity (2007)
Chairman Aerotoxic Consultancy Ltd. (2021)
3 May 2010
The Stewarts Law Attorney Group represents 20 British passengers who were seriously injured by aircraft toxic fumes exposure on 1 February 2007. The incident occurred when they were flying onboard an XL Airways Boeing 767 from London Gatwick to Sanford International, Florida.
The dangerous toxins were released into the cabin through the bleed air system which (as on most airliners) draws high-pressure air from the core of the engines to pressurise the aircraft with breathable air. It has long been known that this design can result in the cabin air becoming contaminated with toxic oil vapour when the engine oil seals leak.
Passengers detected the toxic air as they began to notice an odd smell similar to ‘smelly socks’. The cabin seemed more ‘stuffy’ and ‘hot’ than any previous flight they had been on, and the air severely irritated their eyes, nose and throat. The passengers quickly became ill, suffering respiratory issues, severe headaches, vomiting, bowel problems, skin blistering and extreme fatigue. The toxic air also caused them to experience long term / chronic effects such as respiratory problems, memory loss, sleep disturbances, chronic fatigue, mood swings, cognitive difficulties, infections, and joint/limb pains.
To put pressure on the US manufacturers to deal with these known cabin air problems and to obtain fair compensation for the passengers, on 29 January 2009 specialist litigation firm Stewart’s Law filed the case in Illinois, the state where Boeing has its Headquarters. In addition to ‘Boeing’, the lawsuit was filed against ‘Hamilton Sundstrand’ (manufacturers of air systems components), ‘United Technologies’ (manufacturers of the Pratt & Whitney engines) and the owners of the aircraft – ‘AAR Parts Trading Inc’.
This case is an outright US product liability case against US defendants. However, the defendants were intent on having the case sent back to the UK courts (which are much more expensive for claimants and award much lower compensation). They filed a forum non-conveniens motion, arguing that the UK is the most convenient place for the litigation.
After the prolonged legal battle, on 3 May 2010 Judge Quinn decided in favour of the passengers and dismissed the defendants’ forum non-conveniens motion. Stewart’s Law has achieved a great victory for the passengers. Securing US jurisdiction along with the prospect of a high profile jury trial is a wake up call for US manufacturers – unless they take measures to improve the quality of cabin air now, they will face the credible prospect of expensive and public US litigation for future incidents where there is an identifiable toxic fumes leak that causes injury.
Contact us
Aviation and Travel Department
5 New Street Square
London, EC4A 3BF
T: +44 (0)20 7822 8000
Dear Editor of i newspaper (Oliver Duff), 23 June 2022
This letter is not intended for the ‘Your View’ letters’ page but I hope you will give it your attention as it highlights a significant public health concern which for many years seems to have been kept under wraps by media outlets.
I appreciate that newspaper editorial teams have many competing stories to choose from, which vie for headline space & inside pages & that there are always national & international events, often tragic, which will take precedence over less well known issues.
I am a long time, regular reader of the i paper, not quite from its inception, but certainly from its early days. I choose to read it because it gives a much more balanced & disinterested viewpoint than many papers that are allied to particular political parties & so toe the party line.
My concern as you could see from the subject matter of this email is aerotoxic poisoning.
Aerotoxic poisoning occurs in all Jet planes with the exception of the Boeing 787..Dreamliner…the only plane which has been re-designed not to introduce air into the plane through the fuel pipes. In all other planes this air continues to be brought in through the fuel pipes & is I understand, known as ‘bleed’ air. This to a greater or lesser degree, because of the toxins it carries with it, can have serious effects on the health of cockpit & cabin crew & passengers ( not just in a fume event) leaving many seriously debilitated, over a number of years or even permanently & in other cases has proven to be fatal.
I find it hugely frustrating that the problems caused by aerotoxic poisoning do not seem to be given newspaper coverage when in many instances the outcome for those made desperately unwell is indeed tragic for them & their families.
You can find a very detailed article which appeared in The Guardian on Sat Aug 9th 2017 written by Kate Leahy…former cabin crew.
It has been found that illness can occur in some people after only 1 flight, so it is not just a problem for those who fly frequently.
Since then it would appear that the media outlets have failed to attach any importance or credence to the issue but you will see in the attached information about the Cabin Air Safety Act of 2022 currently being dealt with in the USA. that this is about to change.
Since becoming very ill over a number of years culminating in 2005 (when he had to give up his career prematurely) Captain John Hoyte ( a good friend) has made it his mission to bring this public health issue to the powers that be but has been continually frustrated & sidelined by lack of interest or a distinct unwillingness to engage in discussion with those like himself who have been so badly affected by this poisoning & who have evidence of its drastic consequences & the reasons for it …but also significantly have solutions as to how it can be ameliorated & avoided.
Is this lack of willingness on the part of the media to investigate the issue a result of editorial choices or a directive from above editorial level not to publish information about aerotoxic poisoning because of possible backlash from the air industry?
Dear family, friend or colleague, ‘A small favour….’
We’ve had the breakthrough that I’ve hoped for today with a planned 1:1 meeting with my new Member of Parliament Right Honourable Philip Dunne next Thursday 30 June 2022 – to introduce Aerotoxic and that it would now appear that Carbon Monoxide (CO) gas which is odourless, invisible, tasteless and deadly even in small concentrations is the chemical of concern, which will be publicised fully in the USA in July 2022.
As you might not be aware, the BBC has not covered Toxic Cabin Air for 849 days and as a matter of public health & interest maybe should be openly debated, as with other medical illnesses?
We would be very grateful, if the very brave ones amongst you, would consider writing a brief e mail to BBC Radio 4 Today programme as soon as possible to: today@bbc.co.uk and invite, as a matter of public interest a new, balanced BBC report on this new USA evidence, which is still claimed to be misunderstood by some. ‘A Group’ Abstract attached published 18 June 2022.
If you dare, please ask BBC Today for a reply and I would love to hear back from you..
Since embarking on helping & supporting other members of the public who have AEROTOXIC SYNDROME in June 2007, the media blackout has proved financially ruinous as no evidence appears to be allowed to be shared with the flying public.
But now we have some hot new evidence from the USA which is already available as an ABSTRACT and was first published on 18 June 2022 @ 1100 UTC:
DANGER IN THE AIR
18 June 2022
When flying as a passenger in a commercial jet aircraft is there any danger in breathing in the air? Although you will be told aircraft air is pretty clean – cleaner than the air in your home and office, is this always true?
Except for the Boeing B.787 Dreamliner, commercial aircraft pump all the air we breathe from a place deep inside each jet engine, only separated from hot jet engine oil by seals that get worn and should be replaced at regular intervals but owing to the cost of doing so these intervals in maintenance have tended to become longer and longer. When these seals become worn, toxic contaminant particles and gas can now get from the oil into the aircraft air in increasing number. The poisonous gas carbon monoxide, certain other potentially toxic compounds including organophosphates in small amounts, and finally ultrafine particles are found in aircraft air – unfortunately, none of these are large enough to be stopped by filters. The airline industry appears not to have investigated these issues nor has it provided reliable evidence. The poisonous items in the aircraft air vary in concentration according to how worn the sealing systems have become. On occasion, so many contaminants enter the air, a ‘fume event’ occurs – here the air may have started to smell and can become visibly hazy. The only way to find out the true state of aircraft air is to fit equipment that can continuously monitor and record the presence of these toxic items in real time. This is urgent, as a growing number of people (passengers, flight attendants and pilots) have been and are getting ill. They present with a number of unusual but distressingly persistent complaints that affect many parts of their body in particular the brain and nervous system. Many affected staff have been told officially they must be imagining this. Meanwhile in 1999, this group of illnesses was published as Aerotoxic Syndrome.
In order to alleviate this state of affairs, medical protocols designed by experts should be in place, and equipment such as oxygen and other remedies should be provided to sufferers both in the aircraft and when they land. Those patients who have suffered should not be discounted. They should be offered what medical support there is both for them and their families. Meanwhile the design fault that allows incoming air anywhere near hot jet engine oil needs to be re-designed in all aircraft jet engines in the future.
Abstract published in the public interest on 18 June 2022 @ 1100 UTC by: ‘A Group’ Flight Attendant Deanne DeWitt Freise with 30 years of experience investigating and advocating for improving cabin air quality in aircraft. Captain John Hoyte, Chairman Aerotoxic Association The Charity (2007) Former BAe 146 Training Captain john.hoyte@aerotoxic.org & Captain John Lind former US Aviation insurer assessor & A Group spokesman & Advocate crewadvoc8@yahoo.com
But now we are appealing to the BBC Today program to review this public health issue which won’t go away and here’s the BBC evidence from the past 14 years:
The last report was 848 days ago…surely time to update the public, again?
We are Waving for help as no one wants to drown!! By writing a quick message to today@bbc.co.uk asking to review this public health matter, which won’t go away, you would be helping ALL FLYERS – so thank you very much in anticipation!!
Donations are also most welcome!!
John Hoyte
Chairman Aerotoxic Association (19th March 2007)
Former BAe 146 Training Captain john.hoyte@aerotoxic.org
When flying as a passenger in a commercial jet aircraft is there any danger in breathing in the air? Although you will be told aircraft air is pretty clean – cleaner than the air in your home and office, is this always true?
Except for the Boeing B.787 Dreamliner, commercial aircraft pump all the air we breathe from a place deep inside each jet engine, only separated from hot jet engine oil by seals that get worn and should be replaced at regular intervals but owing to the cost of doing so these intervals in maintenance have tended to become longer and longer. When these seals become worn, toxic contaminant particles and gas can now get from the oil into the aircraft air in increasing number.
The poisonous gas carbon monoxide, certain other potentially toxic compounds including organophosphates in small amounts, and finally ultrafine particles are found in aircraft air – unfortunately, none of these are large enough to be stopped by filters. The airline industry appears not to have investigated these issues nor has it provided reliable evidence.
The poisonous items in the aircraft air vary in concentration according to how worn the sealing systems have become. On occasion, so many contaminants enter the air, a ‘fume event’ occurs – here the air may have started to smell and can become visibly hazy. The only way to find out the true state of aircraft air is to fit equipment that can continuously monitor and record the presence of these toxic items in real time.
This is urgent, as a growing number of people (passengers, flight attendants and pilots) have been and are getting ill. They present with a number of unusual but distressingly persistent complaints that affect many parts of their body in particular the brain and nervous system.
Many affected staff have been told officially they must be imagining this. Meanwhile in 1999, this group of illnesses was published as Aerotoxic Syndrome. In order to alleviate this state of affairs, medical protocols designed by experts should be in place, and equipment such as oxygen and other remedies should be provided to sufferers both in the aircraft and when they land. Those patients who have suffered should not be discounted. They should be offered what medical support there is both for them and their families.
Meanwhile the design fault that allows incoming air anywhere near hot jet engine oil needs to be re-designed in all aircraft jet engines in the future.
Abstract published in the public interest on 18 June 2022 @ 1100 UTC by: ‘A Group’ Flight Attendant Deanne DeWitt Freise with 30 years of experience investigating and advocating for improving cabin air quality in aircraft. Captain John Hoyte, Chairman Aerotoxic Association The Charity (2007) Former BAe 146 Training Captain john.hoyte@aerotoxic.org & Captain John Lind former US Aviation insurer assessor & A Group spokesman & Advocate crewadvoc8@yahoo.com
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