1 in 4 Flyers Think Planes Are Poisoning Them

Study commissioned by British injury claims website suggests nearly one in four passengers deals with aerotoxic syndrome.

Are flyers suffering from toxic air poisoning without even realizing it?A recent study completed by a personal claims website suggests 23 percent of passengers aboard commercial flights may get sick from the air quality alone.

The survey collected data from 2,000 adult flyers, with nearly one in four claiming they have been affected by aerotoxic syndrome. Scholastic papers published on the topic suggest that the contaminants comes from bleed air systems, powered by aircraft engines. In a 2002 paper published in Medicine and Law, potential contaminants contributing to aerotoxic syndrome could include “engine exhausts from the jets.”

“Media exposure of people seriously affected by so-called aerotoxicity syndrome has naturally focused on high profile cases by cabin crew against their employers,” said John Quail, managing director of the website claims.co.uk. “It may become apparent that significant numbers of the general public may have been affected, too — especially business people and other regular fliers.”

While the survey marks the first time flyers are speaking out about aerotoxicity syndrome, it is not the first time allegations of contaminated air has made headlines. In June 2015, a group of British flight attendants announced plans to take legal action against air carriers over alleged exposure to dirty air. Later that month, a group of Alaska Airlines flight attendants took Boeing to court, claiming the manufacturer knowingly allowed toxic bleed air into aircraft cabins.

Britain’s Civil Aviation Authority claims they have received over 1,300 reports of “smoke or fumes” inside a commercial aircraft. However, in a post on the CAA website, the authority claims their research “did not establish a link between cabin air contamination and ill health.”

[Photo: iStock]