Delta to overhaul APUs on hundreds of A320s after toxic fumes injure crew and passengers
Delta says the ground-power unit replacements began in 2022 and are more than 90% complete; reports link fumes to brain injuries and ongoing maintenance questions linger across the industry
Delta Air Lines is overhauling auxiliary power units on more than 300 Airbus A320 jets as part of a safety initiative begun in 2022, after toxic fumes were reported leaking into cockpits and cabins and linked to brain injuries among crew and passengers. The airline confirmed to multiple outlets that the project focuses on APUs that provide ground power, air conditioning and other essential services while aircraft are on the tarmac.
Delta says the work is now more than 90% complete, a figure the airline cited to CBS News. The initiative follows a growing pattern of airline reports to the Federal Aviation Administration warning that engine-related fumes can seep into cabins, a trend brought into sharper focus by a Wall Street Journal investigation that found thousands of such cases and a spike centered on Airbus’s A320 family.
In one Delta-related incident, a jet bound for South Carolina returned to Atlanta after thick smoke poured through the overhead vents, forcing pilots to declare an emergency as passengers scrambled for fresh air. Flight crews instructed travelers to keep low and breathe through their clothing as they prepared for an unscheduled landing.
JetBlue flight attendant Florence Chesson told the Journal she was left with a traumatic brain injury and permanent nerve damage after breathing the fumes on a flight to Puerto Rico. She described feeling as if she were drugged midair and witnessed a fellow crew member collapse and vomit upon landing. The clinician she spoke with said the nerve damage resembled a chemical concussion, highlighting the potential severity of repeated exposures over a career spent in the cabin. Dr. Robert Kaniecki, a neurologist, noted that he has treated more than 100 flight attendants and a dozen pilots for similar injuries over the past two decades, and he warned that recurrent exposures can act like micro-concussions that predispose crews to serious events. University of California, San Francisco occupational medicine specialist Dr. Robert Harrison told the Journal he has treated more than 100 aircrew for similar injuries and stressed that the condition is real.
Industry observers say the scope of the problem extends beyond a single carrier. United Airlines Chief Executive Scott Kirby told CBS News that he has been focused on these incidents for more than a decade and pointed to United’s proactive maintenance program that tracks oil consumption and pressure to preempt fuel leaks into cabins by replacing APU seals when needed. Kirby added that the issue is not as prevalent on newer aircraft, such as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
A Delta spokesperson told The Post that actions have been taken to replace the APUs on the Airbus A320 fleet, without providing specific numbers, and reiterated the airline’s position that instances of fumes in aircraft cabins are rare. Delta declined to comment further.
The broader aviation community continues to monitor reports and regulators’ responses as airlines contend with a growing set of data on fumes entering cabins and the maintenance steps that may reduce risk for crews and passengers alike. The topic remains a focus of scrutiny for industry stakeholders and public safety advocates, who say more transparent reporting and standardized maintenance could help mitigate future incidents.
