Probe Finds Thousands of Airline 'Fume Events' Tied to Serious Neurological Injuries

A Wall Street Journal investigation found that thousands of so-called "fume events" on commercial flights have been reported to the Federal Aviation Administration since 2010 and that a number of those episodes have been linked to serious, long-term neurological injuries among crew and passengers.

The report said incidents involving smells, smoke or other airborne contaminants aboard aircraft have increased in recent years and that many of the reported events occurred on Airbus A320-family jets. Flight attendants and pilots described symptoms ranging from disorientation and nausea to long-term cognitive impairment.

The investigation highlighted multiple individual cases, including that of flight attendant Florence Chesson, who told the Journal that she was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury and damage to her nervous system after inhaling fumes on an A320 flight to Puerto Rico in December 2017. Chesson described an initial "dirty feet" odor in the cabin, followed by feelings of being drugged, profuse sweating and an overwhelming metallic taste. She said two colleagues were taken to hospital and one was carried off on a stretcher after the aircraft landed; the plane later departed for another flight.

Chesson said her symptoms worsened over several months and that a physician, Robert Kaniecki, concluded she had sustained permanent nervous system damage. Kaniecki told the Journal that the impacts on her brain were "extraordinarily similar" to those seen in National Football League players who suffered severe head trauma. He said he has treated roughly 12 pilots and about 100 flight attendants for similar injuries after alleged fume exposures over the past two decades.

The Journal report does not establish a definitive causal link between specific exposures and all reported neurological outcomes, but it cataloged a range of incidents and medical complaints associated with cabin air quality. Regulators, manufacturers and airlines have investigated and debated the causes and frequency of fume events, which can include hydraulic or engine oil smoke, de-icing fluids, overheated electrical components and other contaminants.

Recent episodes cited in the reporting include an April incident involving a Bombardier CRJ900 operated for American Airlines’ regional partner American Eagle, in which smoke was observed after the aircraft landed at Augusta Regional Airport in Georgia. Video from the event showed passengers evacuating via wings and slides; airline and airport statements said passengers were deplaned and escorted to the terminal, and the FAA said it was investigating the occurrence. American Airlines told local media that a maintenance issue occurred after the aircraft landed; the airline said no one was injured.

The report also recounted a June inflight smoke incident on a China Southern Airlines flight in which a passenger's camera battery and power bank smoldered in an overhead bin, prompting the aircraft to return to its departure airport in Hangzhou. Airline statements said crew members extinguished the smoldering device, the flight returned safely and no injuries were reported.

Aviation safety and public-health specialists have for years studied potential pathways by which engine or bleed-air contaminants could enter cabin air. Modern jet aircraft typically use bleed air — compressed air drawn from engines or auxiliary power units — to pressurize and ventilate cabins. Critics and some medical practitioners contend that leaks of engine oil, hydraulic fluid or other substances into that air stream can cause acute and chronic health effects. Aircraft manufacturers and airline industry groups have said cabin air remains safe and that reported fume events are rare relative to the number of flights operated worldwide.

Federal regulators maintain reporting systems for onboard air-quality incidents. The FAA receives voluntary and mandatory reports from pilots, crew and others and can investigate events that pose safety risks. The Wall Street Journal's review relied on FAA records, interviews and medical examinations to compile case histories and identify patterns in reporting and aircraft types.

The Journal's reporting and the cases it documented underscore ongoing concerns among some crew members and medical providers about potential long-term neurological effects following exposure to airborne contaminants on aircraft. Medical specialists quoted in the report urged further study to quantify risks and to develop diagnostic criteria and treatment protocols for affected individuals.

Airlines, regulators and trade groups have in past years pursued engineering, maintenance and procedural measures intended to reduce the risk of air-quality incidents and to improve crew training and incident reporting. The FAA and other aviation authorities can open formal investigations when smoke, fumes or maintenance issues are reported; such probes examine maintenance records, component performance and flight data to determine causes and appropriate corrective actions.

The Wall Street Journal's findings add to a body of reporting and advocacy by crew members and some physicians about fume-event frequency and health outcomes. Independent verification and consensus among researchers remain limited, and investigators continue to seek clearer scientific evidence tying specific contaminants to long-term neurological diagnoses.

Regulators and airlines did not offer comprehensive responses in the Journal story to the totality of cases described. The FAA has previously said it reviews reports and works with industry partners to address safety risks when they are identified. Medical professionals and affected crew members cited in the report said they seek broader recognition of fume-event-related injuries and more research into potential occupational hazards posed by contaminated cabin air.