Getting hypoxia at the airport

[honchun]

I saw an article a while back about a flight departing from Bangda airport in Tibet (~15000ft AMSL) which all the flight crew need to have their own oxygen tanks to breathe in around the airport while the pax don't. I'm wandering how susceptible a flight crew is to hypoxia at such a high altitude compared to the locals? or the bends and mountain sickness be a more of a concern? And just how big a oxy tank a person would need to 'stay alive' till departure?

Any info/comment is greatly appreciated :)

(corrected for spelling errors)

[ 21 November 2001: Message edited by: MetMinima ]