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AIRPORT PICKUPS LONDON

Toxic Cabin Claims Investigated
14 - Mar - 2016

Toxic Cabin Claims Investigated

There has been a lot of protest recently regarding air pollution caused by air traffic.  However it is not only the air outside of the aeroplane that is causing an issue.  British airlines are facing legal action by former and serving cabin crew who claim they have been poisoned by contaminated air in the cabin.  The toxic air is apparently caused by poisonous gases during engine faults, oil and under floor hydraulic leaks.  Jet engines contain synthetic oils with ingredients such as ‘tricresyl phosphate (TCP) which can be dangerous to humans in high enough quantities, and affect the central nervous system and brain.

17 claims are being taken seriously and are being funded by the Unite union, the dominant trade union at most UK airports.  They are calling for a public inquiry as their lawyers begin work on the current claims.  The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) claims that incidents involving contaminated air are rare with no evidence of long term health effects.  However there have been a significant number of cases over the last few years that suggest otherwise. 

Between April 2014 and May 2015 there were 251 incidents reported of unsafe cabin air.  Oxygen had to be administered to at least 28 of these.  In recent years two pilot deaths have occurred with coroners reporting high levels of TCP in one of the cases. The other case is on-going but links are being made to contaminated cabin air.  The CAA claims that there is insufficient evidence to suggest this. 

In 2013 the Committee of Toxicity investigated links to contaminated cabin air and ill health and could not find a link.  They stated that the levels of harmful chemicals were low, even in cases of fuel leakages.  It was unlikely then that there was any danger to human health their reports suggested, and that ill health may be down to the psychological effects of being exposed to contaminated air, a sort of placebo effect.

British Airways have stated that they would not operate an aircraft if they believed it posed a health risk to passengers or crew.  Airbus and Boeing have also maintained the safety of cabin air.  Those campaigning for safer cabin air are likely to disagree, and those who have suffered nausea, headaches and other health effects due to supposed toxic cabin air will be looking to their lawyers in support of their claims.

By Airport Pickups London