This article discusses Delta Air Lines’ efforts to replace engines on more than 300 Airbus A320 jets since 2022 due to reports of toxic air contamination affecting passengers and crew. The airline has been swapping out auxiliary power units (APUs) since 2022, with the work on its A320 jets now about 90% complete. Toxic fumes from faulty APUs can leak into the cabin, potentially causing health issues for passengers and crew.
The article highlights several incidents involving toxic air contamination. A JetBlue flight attendant developed a traumatic brain injury resembling an NFL-style concussion after inhaling toxic fumes that smelled distinctly of ‘dirty feet.’ A Delta flight aboard a Boeing 717 filled with thick white smoke pouring in through the vents, and an investigation found that an engine leakage caused the issue. A lawsuit has been filed by three former JetBlue flight attendants, accusing the airline, Airbus, and APU supplier Honeywell of allowing noxious fumes to leak into the cabin. The companies named in the suit have not yet responded publicly.
The article also discusses the broader issue of toxic air contamination in air travel. Industry data suggests it’s hard to know exactly how widespread the issue is, since not every event is reported and airlines use different standards for alerting the Federal Aviation Administration. Internal records show that manufacturers and regulators have known about seal problems in APUs for decades. Honeywell and Pratt & Whitney, two of the biggest suppliers, have faced problems with A320-family models, particularly with seals designed to prevent oil from entering the air supply. The companies have issued multiple fixes over the years, and Honeywell rolled out another update in 2023 to reduce odor events.
The article concludes by noting that replacing older APUs can reduce the risk of leaks but does not completely solve the problem. The plane’s main engines, which also pump pressurized ‘bleed air’ into the cabin, can also leak oil. Airbus has found that most APU-related fume events are caused by oil or fluids entering through the air inlet. Its proposed long-term fix includes moving the inlet to the top of the aircraft and would reduce ‘smell’ events by 85%, but would only be done in new planes.