GCAQE Press Release

AIR PASSENGERS AND CREW AT RISK FROM ‘CONTAMINATED AIR’

The GCAQE calls for a ‘Public Inquiry‘ into the ongoing exposure of passengers and crews to contaminated air on UK registered public transport aircraft backed by major opposition parties.

26 March 2008

Thousands of air passengers are put at risk each year from toxic fumes leaking into aircraft cabins, according to a leading organization representing over 500,000 aviation workers globally in 3 continents.

The Global Cabin Air Quality Executive (GCAQE), formed in 2006, is calling for a full public inquiry into the ongoing ‘Contaminated Air’ issue on UK aircraft, in light of substantial evidence that numerous chemicals such as tricresyl phosphate and tributyl phosphate, present in oils and lubricants, leak daily into cabin air supplies. Chemicals known to have immuno- and neuro- toxic effects.

British Ministers say that 1 in 2000 flights could be affected by so-called 'fume events'. GCAQE believes these events are occurring far more frequently, on a daily basis and have done so for over three decades.

An Australian Senator recently revealed a secret 1993 agreement between British Aerospace and two now-defunct Australian airlines relating to ‘obnoxious oil and other (the “cabin environment problem”) fumes affecting the passenger cabins of some or all of the aircraft.’

Commenting, Co-Chairman of the Global Cabin Air Quality Executive and former airline pilot, Captain Tristan Loraine, said:

"International airlines continue to preside over a global scandal. Not only are they supplying the travelling public with unfiltered engine air to breathe, known for decades to sometimes become contaminated with toxic chemicals. They don’t tell the public there is a risk of exposure or when they have been exposed. This has to be a breach of their human rights."

"No UK aircraft has any form of detection system fitted to warn when the air is contaminated. Each year thousands of contaminated air events go unreported."

"The Civil Aviation Authority and the Department of Transport are both experts at ‘spin’ but have negligently failed to protect the travelling public. There is overwhelming evidence to show that exposure to contaminated cabin air is causing unacceptable risks to health and flight safety and the precautionary principle should be applied. Solutions to resolve this problem exist and they know it."

"After decades of dissembling only a full public inquiry can get to the facts and protect airline passengers and crew alike."

GCAQE has secured the support of all the main opposition political parties:

• Conservative Party, Shadow Secretary of State for Transport,
Teresa Villiers MP, in its call for a public inquiry. For media interviews contact: 0207 2195178 or 07623 945389
• Liberal Democrat, Shadow Secretary of State for Transport,
Norman Baker MP, in its call for a public inquiry. For media interviews contact: 0207 2192864
• Green Party, Principal Speaker for England and Wales,
Dr. Caroline Lucas MEP, in its call for a public inquiry. For media interviews contact: 0207 5610282

ENDS

Tristan Loraine & Judith Murawski
GCAQE Co-Chairs

25 March 2008

Reasons for the Global Cabin Air Quality Executive (GCAQE), calling for Public Inquiry in the United Kingdom include but are not limited to:

1. The UK Civil Aviation Authority has not acted appropriately or enforced existing regulations on the issue of contaminated air. This includes the regulation regarding mandatory use of emergency oxygen by pilots when they ‘suspect’ the air supply to be contaminated. Hence over 80% of crews failing to use emergency oxygen during a contaminated air event.
2. Answers given to questions raised in the UK Parliament have not been appropriately answered and numerous answers given being false or misleading.
3. The UK Department of Transport (DfT) sponsored Committee of Toxicity (COT) studies into aircraft contaminated air failed to take account of all pertinent evidence which had been submitted.
4. The DfT sponsored monitoring studies currently being overseen by Cranfield University has failed to undertake studies appropriately, while Tricresylphosphate (TCP) has been found in a number of the tests carried out to date.
5. The COT Committee, DfT and Cranfield monitoring project are not using suitable techniques looking for, the additive in the engine oil, TCP. This has been found in pilots blood, in 86% of swab tests undertaken to date in aircraft to date, and in the cabin air in a variety of previous studies. Crews and passengers are being exposed to TCP, a known neurotoxin with no effective preventative actions being undertaken.
6. Despite statements to the contrary by the Government and the aviation industry, there are no safe or Government standards that apply to inhaling heated engine oils and hydraulic fluids. Nor to the synergistic effect of exposure to the complex mix of contaminants in passenger cabins during a contaminated air event..
7. There is evidence to support that significant short and chronic ill health is occurring amongst flight crew, as well as passengers, with a history of exposure to aircraft contaminated air. This is no longer acceptable.
8. The UK Government has failed to utilize the most appropriate expertise capable of dealing with this issue and has undertaken actions using non independent interested parties often with significant commercial conflict of interest.
9. There are various solutions that could be undertaken to prevent exposure to contaminated air, however these have been ignored to date.
10. Questions raised in the UK House of Lords and the Australian Senate over the last 12 months and answers given regarding payments made by British Aerospace and other aviation manufacturers to two Australian airlines have not been appropriately examined and investigated by regulators and the UK Governments.
11. Passengers human rights continue to be violated by the aviation industry who fail to inform passengers when they have been exposed to toxic chemicals onboard commercial aircraft.
12. The Government has failed to appropriately investigate the effect of exposure to contaminated air on the wide spectrum of passengers who travel on commercial jet aircraft. These range from the elderly to the pregnant passenger.
13. The Government has failed to ensure oil manufacturers test their products in a manner which is representative of how airline crews and passengers will be exposed, notably heated oils via dermal and inhalation exposure at altitude in a reduced pressure environment.
14. The Government failed to allow a multi million dollar air testing program funded by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and administered by independent universities to take place on UK aircraft at no cost to the UK tax payer. Instead it has wasted UK tax payers money on research using inappropriate and non independent research which was not put out to tender as promised.
15. The 2000 House of Lords report into Air Travel, the CAA report of 2004 into air quality on commercial aircraft and others, have numerous technical and other inaccuracies and misinformation, these remain uncorrected.
16. The CAA and DfT have failed to address the ongoing issue of contaminated air events being grossly under reported despite warnings on these matters from the GCAQE, FAA and others.
17. The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has failed to investigate a large number of contaminated air events despite crews reporting they have been impaired due to contaminated air exposures.
18. Commercial jet aircraft continue to fly with no form of contaminated air detection system fitted to warn pilots when the air is contaminated despite many hazardous chemicals being odourless.
19. The HSE and CAA have failed to ensure that airlines abide by Health and Safety guidelines and basic principles. These include proper risk assessments and the need for employers to take steps to minimise exposure to toxic chemicals by workers.
20. The DfT and CAA have failed to introduce an independent and appropriate medical protocol to deal with passengers following exposure to contaminated air on aircraft.
21. The DfT has failed to allow appropriate UK expertise to attend the Aviation Health Working Group (AHWG) and its Research Sub Group (RSG) such as the GCAQE and Independent Pilots Association (IPA).
22. UK Government failure to adhere to the Precautionary Principle under European law.

GCAQE Co Chairs:

Captain Tristan Loraine - Former Boeing 757 and Boeing 767 Captain. Over 10,000 hours flying experience. Author of the novel ‘Toxic Airlines‘ and producer / director of the feature length documentary films now in selected UK cinemas, ‘Welcome Aboard Toxic Airlines‘. Member of numerous international committees dealing with contaminated air issues. Voting member of SPC-161 ASHRAE Committee

Judith Murawski - Industrial Hygienist, AFA-CWA. Member of numerous international committees dealing with contaminated air issues. Has published numerous papers on these issues. Voting member of SPC-161 ASHRAE Committee

GCAQE Head of Research:

Captain Susan Michaelis - Former Australian pilot. Over 5000 hours flying experience. PhD researcher at UNSW in Sydney, Author of the ‘Aviation Contaminated Air Reference Manual‘

Further information is available at:

Notes to Editors:

1. GCAQE comprises some 20 organisations in 3 continents and represents around 500,000 airline pilots, crew and engineers.
2. All commercial jet aircraft supply breathing air for passengers and crews taken directly from the engines and supplied unfiltered to the passenger cabin. This air, known as ‘bleed air’ is known to become contaminated with hazardous chemicals present in synthetic jet engine oils and hydraulic fluids. These chemicals include the organophosphates 'tricresyl phosphate' and 'tributyl phosphate'.
3. British Transport Minister, Lord Bassam of Brighton, recognised that 1 in 2000 flights report 'fume events' in exchanges with Liberal Democrat Peer, Lord Tyler, on 18th October 2007,
HL Hansard column 786
4. Captain Tristan Loraine served as an airline pilot between 1986 and 2006. He sits on international committees where these matters are discussed. He is also the author of the novel ‘Toxic Airlines’ and recently produced the feature length documentary ‘Welcome Aboard Toxic Airlines’ now showing in selected UK cinemas.
5. GCAQE researcher, former pilot and PhD student, Susan Michaelis recently published the 844 page ‘Aviation Contaminated Air Reference Manual’ documenting the history of the hazards associated with synthetic jet engine oils and hydraulic fluids leaking into aircraft cabin air supplies. Copies are available from selected public libraries or from www.susanmichaelis.com.
6. The history of the hazards associated with synthetic jet engine oils and hydraulic fluids leaking into aircraft cabin air supplies have been a concern since the 1950's. Appropriate research, called for in 1977 following the documented incapacitation of a crew member, has never been undertaken.
7. An EDM currently exists in relation to this matters: EDM 1017 - CONTAMINATED AIR ON COMMERCIAL AIRCRAFT - 22.02.2008

GCAQE Press Release

AIR PASSENGERS AND CREW AT RISK FROM ‘CONTAMINATED AIR’

The GCAQE calls for a ‘Public Inquiry‘ into the ongoing exposure of passengers and crews to contaminated air on UK registered public transport aircraft backed by major opposition parties.

NAVIGATION