Cabin Environment We Want To Hear Your View

[XB70]

CABIN ENVIRONMENT WE WANT TO HEAR YOUR VIEWS

The BALPA NEC has recently set up a task group to investigate and look into the issue surrounding the Cabin Environment in all the airlines of the BALPA community. The idea being to see which areas are of concern to the BALPA membership and what action needs to be taken to address those concerns.

We would like to hear from you the members as to what aspects if any, concern you about the aircraft environment, whether it be radiation, humidity, contaminated bleed air, cabin altitude etc..

If you are a BALPA member or interested party can you please email me any thoughts or information you feel we should be aware of.

We would also be interested to hear the details about any contaminated air or suspected contaminated air events you have had, ASR / MOR info, Aircraft type, medical support given, oxygen used or not, etc.. in the last few years.

Please do not post info here on the forum, but e-mail full details and input in confidence to the Task Group Chairman:

Captain Tristan Loraine
BALPA NEC / BA SHLC

at: [email protected]

[Basil]

With respect, I'd have expected a BALPA e-mail address. :confused:

[XB70]

Basil

It is a fair point but I chose not to use a BALPA email address but my private email address.

If you prefer you can mail or fax info to the BALPA head office:

Captain Tristan Loraine
NEC Member
BALPA
81 New Road
Harlington
Hayes
Middlesex
UB3 5BG


Tel: +44 (0) 20 84764000
Fax: +44 (0) 20 84764077

Regards

Tristan

[The Big Fixer]

Great to see that something positive is being done by BALPA but as is so OFTEN the case, posters on this forum & in the industry in general are so very quick to be negative.

XB70 did Basil at least have the decency to contact you direct to discuss his concerns or is he just another one of these 'I've gotta post without engaging brain'?

For anybody who thinks this isn't a current issue read on:

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,8436320%255E23349,00.html

Fumes ground Qantas plane
By Rebecca DiGirolamo
January 20, 2004
A BRAND new Qantas plane was being flown to Melbourne last night for further investigation after mysterious fumes forced an emergency landing and hospitalised nine people in Adelaide yesterday.

The Airbus A330-300, which had only been in service for four weeks, was travelling from Melbourne to Perth but made an unscheduled landing about 10.30am (EST) after two passengers and seven crew members at the rear of the cabin complained of headaches and nausea.

Qantas said the pilot diverted to Adelaide Airport one hour into the flight after crew reported an "unpleasant" smell coming from one of the aircraft's galleys.

"My nose just started running madly about one hour into the flight," Melbourne mother Gwen Lunley said. "It was really a mild smell, but it was obviously something serious because we were (nearly) half-way through our flight."

A Qantas spokesman said this was the first safety incident involving the aircraft, one of three A330-300s purchased last year from Airbus. It grounded passengers for seven hours in Adelaide until a replacement aircraft arrived.

A passenger on the interrupted QF485 flight said complaints of fumes had been raised on the plane's previous service between Melbourne and Perth last Sunday.

GIVE IT TO ME- I'LL FIX IT!

[Danny]

Great to see that something positive is being done by BALPAI suggest you have read of the BALPA website (http://www.balpa.org/) and read a bit more about the many things BALPA does behind the scenes. Having served as a member of the BALPA Airworthiness Technical Study Group I can assure you that BALPA is very much at the forefront of raising issues and getting proper focus on matters that concern us as pilots.

Forget the usual whinging from naysayers who have very little idea about what really goes on with BALPA. Most of them think all they are there for is to get them a pay deal.

[pom]

e-mail full details and input in confidence to the Task Group Chairman

What use is confidential information? I don't think that the government and airline manufacturers will listen to anything but hard facts.

:)

[Basil]

XB70,
I stand erected :O

[Life On Mars]

Pom states: "What use is confidential information? "

You must be really naive or new to the industry if you think anybody in their right mind is going to post on pprune all their concerns and worries! You want something like this I guess:

Hi, I my name is XX and I fly for XX and on XX dates I had XX events and also XX etc..

BALPA is spot on in protecting its members and confidentiality IS THE ONLY WAY TO GO.

What they get WILL no doubt be the HARD FACTS you refer to and then they can act on the information without shooting the messengers!

Another point is that numerous Government inquiries take information on a confidential basis and turn it into 'hard facts' as they know they would never get the information otherwise.

Intimidation from industry is alive and kicking.

[eal401]

crew reported an "unpleasant" smell coming from one of the aircraft's galleys.
Economy class lunch being prepared?

Sorry, don't mean to belittle the serious subject, just couldn't resist!

Hope the actual problem is an issue that can be addressed.

[GlueBall]

Inadequate cooling capacity from Packs on the ground in high humidity tropical climates. It doesn't matter whether you're a pax cramped aboard a new B777 or a new B744... If the cabin is full and when humidity and ambient temperatures are high, the cabin temperature climbs to uncomfortable high levels.

Contributing to pax discomfort include improper technique by some cockpit crew who fail to select, or belatedly select, "Max Cool" at Top Of Descent into tropical airports with high ambient temperature and humidity. I know that the cockpit will get cool, but the crowded cabin can quickly get very warm and stuffy.

It's a technical shortcoming that aircraft manufacturers should address seriously, especially for airlines that stuff their cabins full with ever more seats. :{

[DEAD ZONE]

Good on BALPA for taking an industry lead. I know the AFAP did alot but it is time for the big players to kick ass.

This is a real issue SERIOUSLY UNDER REPORTED in Australia and most likely elsewhere.

Time to take the industry head out of the sand, give it a good slap and make it wake up to crew health issues.

WE NO LONGER WANT EXCESS RADIATION, LACK OF AIR, CONTAMINATED AIR ETC..

[Texas Raider]

Dudes

I fly the MD80 and this issue needs to be seriously moved up the priority list. Most guys and gals just accept the fumes and dont write it up. Times may be hard but health is important so great news to hear that the Brits are leading the way.

A good website for any in doubt is:

http://www.aopis.org

Off for another trip in the fummy beast!

Texas Raider