B737-800
Flight Attendant Current
Physiological - Other
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Maintenance; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Illness / Injury; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem; General Physical Injury / Incapacitation
Aircraft; Human Factors
Due to being sick from this flight; this is my first chance to write this report. I was on standby from XA:00am-XG:00 on Date in ZZZ. Crew Scheduling called me at XF:06 to work a 1-2-1 three day trip. They assigned me position 1 and the first leg of the trip was to ZZZ1. I switched positions with Name and became the #3 because I don't like being #1. While walking to the gate flight service called to check on us (they thought they were calling the #1 from the original crew but instead called me by accident) and informed me that the original crew was being taken off this trip due to a fume event. When we arrived at the gate; our flight had begun deplaning. We were told that they had sat out on the tarmac for 2 hours before they were able to get to the gate and deplane so the aircraft could be checked out. During deplaning; Name 1 (the #4) and Name 2 (the #2) called the union and Name 3 to talk to them because we were very nervous about flying on this aircraft after it just came back to the gate and had to have us re-crew it due to a fume event. We did not know the original crew personally but as they deplaned they warned Name 2 and Name 1 that we should not get on that aircraft because something was wrong with it and that they were on the way to the hospital. They were shaken up; pale; and were visibly ill. One of the girls even had to get a wheelchair to wheel her out of the terminal. I immediately felt very unsafe about proceeding forward on this trip. Seeing the crew so visibly ill from a fume event and then being expected to take that aircraft right back out and move on like nothing happened is extremely terrifying and irresponsible of the flight deck. Our health and safety clearly was not a first priority in this instance. After original crew and passengers deplaned we were immediately sent down to the aircraft and the agent wanted us to check our equipment so we could board again and get this flight out as quickly as possible since it was so delayed. I was the first FA on the jet bridge; and I ran into the maintenance man on his way out. He told me he did an inspection of the aircraft and it was cleared to fly. He said he could smell stuff in the aft lavs but that everything was clear. He told Name 2 when he saw her that it was all good and to not get on and break anything. This was all happening so fast that it was hard to process it all and I was very uneasy and felt pressure to work this flight. After I got on the flight; the Captain was dismissive of the event. He informed me that he thought the previous crew was being overly cautious because two of the four flight attendants had just recently been through an incident on one of their trips that they had not been able to fully recover from; so that is why they turned around; but he did not think there was a serious issue to be concerned with. I interpreted this as the Captain thinking the previous crew was overreacting and that he did not take their concerns seriously. He and the First Officer said they attributed the fumes to there being a lot of aircraft congestion on the way out and that they thought it would be fine this time around. They said to let them know if we experienced anything this time; but it seemed as though the flight was going no matter what based on the flight deck's attitude. They continued to dismiss our fears before boarding started again saying it was fine to fly on this aircraft and that maintenance didn't see a problem. I was hesitant with this news because maintenance was on their way out not even 5-10 minutes after deplaning took place; and I did not think that was a substantial amount of time to do a thorough check of the aircraft. After the Captain informed me of this; my other crew members got on board and they asked me what he said. Name 2 was especially nervous because she has a health concern that if mixed with a fume event could be life threatening; so she went into the cockpit and had a long talk with the Captain. I'm not exactly sureof what he said to her because I was out of earshot but she told me he was dismissive and also mentioned what he said to me about the other 2 flight attendants from the other crew being overly cautious due to their past experiences on a trip. Name 2 told me that the Captain also made a joke when she expressed her concerns about how his mother thought he was the smartest guy in the world but there is always a chance that I'm wrong. We re-boarded passengers on the flight without there being a substantial amount of time to pass after it was deplaned the first time (like 15-20 minutes). During boarding; passengers kept asking me if it was safe to fly; and I told them that the Captain had told me he thought it was due to congestion from other aircraft that caused the smell the first time and that maintenance had cleared us to fly. The Captain never once made an announcement to the passengers to update them on the situation and reassure passengers once they re-boarded. Name 1 called Name 3 during boarding and asked Name 1 to ask the Captain if he had filled out the cabin odor fume report. Name 1 called me since he was in the back to ask. Name 2 had come to the front during boarding and she ended up being the one to ask the Captain. The Captain's response was that he had never heard of the cabin odor fume report before. There was another report that the union wanted us to ask about (the report is named with numerics) and when Name 2 asked the Captain about this he said he was going to pull it up but we never actually saw him do it. He then changed the subject with Name 2 to talk about his vacation that he was going on at the end of the trip. I had COVID back in Month and ever since I recovered; my taste and smell have not returned; so I am not a good judge on if there was an odor in this aircraft. However; Name 1 and Name 2 mentioned they smelled something gross in the back of the aircraft. Once in the air; Name 1 and I started feeling very light headed. Name 1 and the #1 Name 2 also started having a bad headache. During the middle of the service; there was moderate turbulence that continued the duration of the flight. We ended up having to suspend service because it was too dangerous to be in the aisle. I even felt like I caught some air at one point. We hurried to secure the carts and ourselves in the back. This is not what this report is about; but I think you should know that the Captain did not communicate with us the entire time about the turbulence or when it would end. We had to call him to ask if the turbulence would continue the rest of the flight and if there was a different altitude we could try because we were all feeling whiplashed in the back and queasy. He said we should suspend service and that he would make the announcement to the passengers about it. Name 1 then had to call him about 15 minutes later after the initial call to see if he was still going to make the announcement because he had yet to do it. He finally made the announcement to the passengers that we would not be completing the rest of the service due to the turbulence. However; he called the #1 Name 2 to make sure she had completed first class service because he wanted to make sure the customers were getting what they paid for. The Captain's unprofessionalism and lack of care for the flight attendants and our safety was astounding. Once we landed he and the First Officer were one of the first ones off the aircraft and they left to go straight to the van for their layover. These pilots ran off right when we landed. It was evident that the Captain was in a hurry to start his layover and had no concern for health and safety of his flight crew. He never once checked on us or asked us how we were feeling from the fume event or the turbulence. Now you have at least two flight attendant crews sick and a Captain and First Officer that could care less. Was this airplane truly airworthy? Name 1's headache continued for the next 3 days. On the second day of ourtrip; after we worked from ZZZ1-ZZZ2 Name 1 had to call out because he threw up mid flight; had a horrible headache; and had an upset stomach. He said his symptoms started that first flight from ZZZ-ZZZ1 and only continued. We had to get a standby from ZZZ2 to finish the trip with us. I have felt extremely lethargic ever since that flight. It feels like I took 10 Benadryl. I have had a very foggy brain and have slept non-stop. Writing this report is the longest I have stayed awake since I got home from that trip. I have also had shortness of breath. Name 1 and I went to the ER on Date 3 and got our hemoglobin levels tested and our chest x-rayed. Our hemoglobin levels were normal but that is to be expected since we went 48 hours after exposure. We called out on flight because we felt so sick and unable to fly. I talked to nurse when I called the number and after describing my symptoms she told me she was going to have me stop right there and recommend that I go get checked out at the ER and call her back within the next few days after I was checked out. I am still experiencing extreme brain fog; exhaustion; and shortness of breath. At the end of the day; we felt forced to get on an aircraft that had an issue and work Aircraft X to ZZZ1 because the union told one of the other flight attendants if we didn't we would get in trouble with the company and a refusal to fly. We have been given points against us when we were injured on the workplace in a fume event of some sort and now we are having our jobs jeopardized by points. The points are penalizing us for being sick and being taken to the hospital on a work injury/fume event. Why would a company that I give my time to penalize us for a work related injury? I want to recap that you have 2 crews that are sick with a Captain who was absolutely unprofessional; unsafe; and dismissive. This is a serious safety issue; and with this aircraft still flying you are risking the safety and health of passengers and crew members. Train your pilots and ground staff (the Tower and Ops) on how to handle fume events. We should have never taken this aircraft after knowing that 4 flight attendants were taken to the hospital sick and now we are all sick. At the end of the day; this flight deck crew and the company is responsible for our illnesses. I have not received any calls from our department. It is like no one cares how sick we are. This is my first fume event and I have had no guidance on how to handle this and proceed from here. Communication is key.
I was on standby on Date at XA:00 sign in & was called at XE:15 to work the flight from ZZZ to ZZZ1. I was assigned position 4 on the trip with 3 other crew members. I made my way to the gate & as I arrived there were still passengers getting off the aircraft. I went over to the side & started talking to the crew that I was going to be working with. We saw the other crew come off & they did not look okay; the crew came over to us & said that the airplane had just had a fume event & that it wasn't safe for us to fly. We continued down the jet bridge after scanning in with the agent; upon arrival to the aircraft I saw that Maintenance was on board & talking to the Captain. As we got on we asked the Captain what had happened & if the airplane was safe to fly. He began to say that the other crew was just smelling fumes from the congestion on the taxi way & that it was nothing to be worried about. As I got to the back of the aircraft I smelt a terrible pee smell which seemed to be coming from the aft lavatory's. I informed the Captain but he said he was aware of the situation in the back. Our number 2 made sure to go up front & ask a bunch of different questions to the Captain about the aircraft & what had just happened. The Captain didn't give us much information with the plane & so I called the union. As I called the union; I was told to ask for a cabin air quality check; upon asking the Captain for this he said it was not necessary & that he wasn't needing one done. We tried our best with not feeling safe going on this aircraft; we boarded up & began pushing back. Upon push back; I was informed that 3 of the 4 flight attendants on that flight before us were headed to the hospital & one had to be wheeled out in a wheelchair. We were already taxing & there was nothing we could do at this point. We got up in the air & I started to have a terrible headache; later in the flight the number one came to the back & said that she was having a headache as well. We thought nothing of it for the most part; we then began to all feel light headed. We continued onto ZZZ1. The headaches continued onto the next day when we were working our flight from ZZZ1 to ZZZ2. About 30-45 away from landing I began to feel super nauseous from the flight & ended up getting sick on the flight. I proceeded to call the Captain to call tracking & have a standby waiting at the gate for me because I wanted to get off of the trip because I started feeling so sick. I got off the trip went to my hotel & slept for 12 hours before waking up. I was foggy & very out of it; very unlike me in any way. I still had my headache even after I had taken my medicine that I had been given by a doctor a while back for pain. The headache continued through the night & I was deadheading on a flight the next day; I was very very exhausted & short on my breath. I got on the plane not thinking much about it. As we were in the air I started to feel light headed; like I was going to pass out once again. Upon landing I got a message from the other crew informing me that 2 of the 4 had been in the ER still. One of the flight attendants did test positive for carbon monoxide poison. I proceeded to call the injury number and report everything to them. I was informed that I needed to go to the hospital & get checked out. Me & the number 3 flight attendant ended up going to the hospital together to get checked out; all of our tests came back normal but the doctor said that was to be expected since it was so long after exposure. He said there was a very good chance that is what it was but the test didn't show it. He gave us a note & recommended us stay rested & healthy. I don't believe that I should be punished with points for the company's inability to properly check the aircraft & deem it not safe. I should not be receiving any points for the situation as it was an injury on duty & was reported to the company in a timely manner. The points should not count against us in this event since it was a fume event. The points are given to us for being proactive about our safety & well being; Why would a company that I work for & give most of my time; want to give us points for a situation we believe is linked to an unsafe aircraft. We now have 2 crews who have been sick & however many after the fact. You have a Captain who was not in charge enough to say he wanted an air quality check of the aircraft for the safety of his crew & passengers. You still have this aircraft in service & are potentially putting other people's life & health at risk. Pilot & airplane need to be taken out of service for endangering passengers & crew members.
Air Carrier Flight Attendant crew reported a fume event during flight which resulted in physiological symptoms.