DrSyn - quaffing beer is indeed a good idea - and I too look forward to the next time!
Bally Heck - I started my career with Laker; and before that most of my pax flights were on BCal's DC10s to West Africa. I was therefore a hardline DC10 supporter. However, as I learnt more about the L1011 in the late 80s due to a couple of deals I was involved with, I became very impressed with the aircraft (especially the -500s). I've also talked with numerous pilots, engineers and managers responsible for them; all of whom wax lyrical about it - more so than any other type.
I'm having problems with your cabin air figures. The L1011 does 100% air exchange every three minutes - yet Boeing aircraft, which only do a 50% air exchange, do a complete exchange every 2.5 minutes? Surely something wrong there ... I've referred this to my CFE for comment, along with the ozone filter question, which I don't know the answer to.
That said, I'd have thought that the symptoms described would be more likely to be the effects of recirculating the same air ... and breathing everyone elses coughs, sneezes and diseases!
As for your last point - if you want to know what a 'bad' aircraft is like, try asking anyone who operates a B767, B777, A330 etc ... according to Delta, the L1011s would merrily do multiple sectors before coming back for maintenance. Their newest aircraft, if they are lucky, can just manage a round trip. This, according to other operators of new aircraft that I've spoken to, is symptomatic of the 'new' generation of jets.