Comments on: Should we have minimum air quality standards on a plane? Yes, but … http://www.elliott.org/blog/should-we-have-minimum-air-quality-standards-on-a-plane-yes-but/ Consumer advocate Christopher Elliott's site. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Toney http://www.elliott.org/blog/should-we-have-minimum-air-quality-standards-on-a-plane-yes-but/comment-page-1/#comment-34364 Toney Sat, 20 Feb 2010 22:01:32 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5348#comment-34364 Hello, I am an Embry Riddle Aeronautical student stationed at Peterson Air Force Base Colorado Springs Colorado. The aircraft cabin is a challenging microenvironment for maintaining the health, comfort, and well-being of passengers and crew. During flight, the passengers and crew experience noise, reduced atmospheric pressure, vibration, low relative humidity, somewhat variable temperature, and potential air quality degradation. In light of these facts, it is not surprising that passengers and crew have registered complaints about the aircraft cabin environment for decades. Studies and firsthand accounts continue to document poor air quality onboard aircrafts, heightening concern for both flight attendants and the public. Poor air quality especially affects flight attendants since the cabin is their workplace. Flight attendants who routinely work in cabins with poor air quality suffer from respiratory problems and health difficulties, including severe headaches, loss of balance tremors and short term memory loss. Despite reports of such health related incidents, the Federal Aviation Administration has failed to offer protection or recourse to those who work within this environment. The purpose of this survey is to collect information about whether there is a correlation to flight attendance performance and the quality of air in the cabin that has affected your work performance. If the general population is knowledgeable about the issue with cabin air and how it affects the health of flight attendants, then the FAA can make necessary corrections to this issue. All answers are confidential. You do not have to put down any information that you feel will affect your career. However, the more the questions that are answered the better the results to see the correlation of this issue. Please take survey:http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/airqualityinsideofaircraft Hello, I am an Embry Riddle Aeronautical student stationed at Peterson Air Force Base Colorado Springs Colorado. The aircraft cabin is a challenging microenvironment for maintaining the health, comfort, and well-being of passengers and crew. During flight, the passengers and crew experience noise, reduced atmospheric pressure, vibration, low relative humidity, somewhat variable temperature, and potential air quality degradation. In light of these facts, it is not surprising that passengers and crew have registered complaints about the aircraft cabin environment for decades. Studies and firsthand accounts continue to document poor air quality onboard aircrafts, heightening concern for both flight attendants and the public. Poor air quality especially affects flight attendants since the cabin is their workplace. Flight attendants who routinely work in cabins with poor air quality suffer from respiratory problems and health difficulties, including severe headaches, loss of balance tremors and short term memory loss. Despite reports of such health related incidents, the Federal Aviation Administration has failed to offer protection or recourse to those who work within this environment. The purpose of this survey is to collect information about whether there is a correlation to flight attendance performance and the quality of air in the cabin that has affected your work performance. If the general population is knowledgeable about the issue with cabin air and how it affects the health of flight attendants, then the FAA can make necessary corrections to this issue. All answers are confidential. You do not have to put down any information that you feel will affect your career. However, the more the questions that are answered the better the results to see the correlation of this issue.

Please take survey:http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/airqualityinsideofaircraft

]]> By: Patrick Smith http://www.elliott.org/blog/should-we-have-minimum-air-quality-standards-on-a-plane-yes-but/comment-page-1/#comment-15548 Patrick Smith Tue, 25 Nov 2008 01:56:04 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5348#comment-15548 Chris, your readers might be interested in a column I did about the myths and realities of aircraft cabin air: http://www.salon.com/tech/col/smith/2007/03/09/askthepilot224/ - Patrick Smith Chris, your readers might be interested in a column I did about the myths and realities of aircraft cabin air:

http://www.salon.com/tech/col/smith/2007/03/09/askthepilot224/

- Patrick Smith

]]> By: goldie http://www.elliott.org/blog/should-we-have-minimum-air-quality-standards-on-a-plane-yes-but/comment-page-1/#comment-15520 goldie Sun, 23 Nov 2008 14:53:19 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5348#comment-15520 once again the airlines right superseed our the most basic rights of humans.the Humane Society would not let an animal be subjected to the indignities and treatment that we as humans LET the airline impose on us and our families dialy.sitting in a plane for many hours with no air flow and the air turned off is cruel torture that the GENEVA CONVENTION does not allow for POWs. amazing.thank you once again the airlines right superseed our the most basic rights of humans.the Humane Society would not let an animal be subjected to the indignities and treatment that we as humans LET the airline impose on us and our families dialy.sitting in a plane for many hours with no air flow and the air turned off is cruel torture that the GENEVA CONVENTION does not allow for POWs. amazing.thank you

]]> By: Mike http://www.elliott.org/blog/should-we-have-minimum-air-quality-standards-on-a-plane-yes-but/comment-page-1/#comment-15513 Mike Sun, 23 Nov 2008 06:33:38 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5348#comment-15513 I'm all for the best air quality we can have. That said, I've flown about 100K miles this year, and I ride public transit regularly. I have not had a cold or other illness since early in the year. I think I've been fortunate. I’m all for the best air quality we can have.

That said, I’ve flown about 100K miles this year, and I ride public transit regularly. I have not had a cold or other illness since early in the year. I think I’ve been fortunate.

]]> By: MJC http://www.elliott.org/blog/should-we-have-minimum-air-quality-standards-on-a-plane-yes-but/comment-page-1/#comment-15499 MJC Sat, 22 Nov 2008 00:00:14 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5348#comment-15499 We already have the Clean Air Act, which has standards for carbon monoxide and other pollutants. While cabin air is a special case, I see no reason why there shouldn't be quality standards there as well. BTW, I think ASHRAE is more impartial than you realize. The engineers who are members of societies like that are generally volunteers on panels. The people who make the real money are the companies who employ them. We already have the Clean Air Act, which has standards for carbon monoxide and other pollutants. While cabin air is a special case, I see no reason why there shouldn’t be quality standards there as well.

BTW, I think ASHRAE is more impartial than you realize. The engineers who are members of societies like that are generally volunteers on panels. The people who make the real money are the companies who employ them.

]]> By: Amy R http://www.elliott.org/blog/should-we-have-minimum-air-quality-standards-on-a-plane-yes-but/comment-page-1/#comment-15495 Amy R Fri, 21 Nov 2008 18:24:54 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5348#comment-15495 There should be a minimum air quality standard. I've gotten really bad colds the last two times I flew. And as much as I used the hand sanitizer on my last trip, I still wasn't able to dodge that cold. There should be a minimum air quality standard. I’ve gotten really bad colds the last two times I flew. And as much as I used the hand sanitizer on my last trip, I still wasn’t able to dodge that cold.

]]> By: Beth Blair http://www.elliott.org/blog/should-we-have-minimum-air-quality-standards-on-a-plane-yes-but/comment-page-1/#comment-15493 Beth Blair Fri, 21 Nov 2008 16:13:39 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5348#comment-15493 I agree - when I was working as a flight attendant I caught everything, despite washing my hands and using hand sanitizer regularly. As soon as I stopped flying, I felt so much better. In fact, I hardly got sick the two years I wasn't flying regularly. Now that I fly at least monthly I find I'm getting sick again. There must be a correlation. I agree – when I was working as a flight attendant I caught everything, despite washing my hands and using hand sanitizer regularly. As soon as I stopped flying, I felt so much better. In fact, I hardly got sick the two years I wasn’t flying regularly. Now that I fly at least monthly I find I’m getting sick again. There must be a correlation.

]]> By: Beth Whitman http://www.elliott.org/blog/should-we-have-minimum-air-quality-standards-on-a-plane-yes-but/comment-page-1/#comment-15492 Beth Whitman Fri, 21 Nov 2008 15:12:00 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5348#comment-15492 My "special knowledge" of the quality of the air inside an airplane has to do with the fact that I, too, catch a cold often when I fly. I've taken to rubbing a little lip balm underneath my nose. My theory is that if I can catch those germs before they get into my system I'll be better off and it has worked every time I've remembered to do it - no cold. Who knows. Maybe it's a coincidence. But I can tell you that the fuel, lubricating oils and whatever else it is that I'm breathing in as we sit on the tarmac makes me feel sick to my stomach and I'm sure it's not good for me. I don't care WHO is pushing for this law - it should go into effect for the sake of all fliers. Beth My “special knowledge” of the quality of the air inside an airplane has to do with the fact that I, too, catch a cold often when I fly. I’ve taken to rubbing a little lip balm underneath my nose. My theory is that if I can catch those germs before they get into my system I’ll be better off and it has worked every time I’ve remembered to do it – no cold. Who knows. Maybe it’s a coincidence.

But I can tell you that the fuel, lubricating oils and whatever else it is that I’m breathing in as we sit on the tarmac makes me feel sick to my stomach and I’m sure it’s not good for me.

I don’t care WHO is pushing for this law – it should go into effect for the sake of all fliers.

Beth

]]> By: Carver Farrow http://www.elliott.org/blog/should-we-have-minimum-air-quality-standards-on-a-plane-yes-but/comment-page-1/#comment-15490 Carver Farrow Fri, 21 Nov 2008 14:20:31 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5348#comment-15490 I don't have any special knowledge of the quality of the air inside an airplane. But I do subscribe to the maxim of follow the money. I find it curious that the supporters of this legislation would be the main people to reap a windfall if airlines were required to upgrade the existing atmospheric systems. I'd feel alot more comfortable if this legislation was being promoted by a non-biased group. I don’t have any special knowledge of the quality of the air inside an airplane. But I do subscribe to the maxim of follow the money. I find it curious that the supporters of this legislation would be the main people to reap a windfall if airlines were required to upgrade the existing atmospheric systems.

I’d feel alot more comfortable if this legislation was being promoted by a non-biased group.

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