B757-200
Flight Attendant Current
Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown; Physiological - Other
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Maintenance; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor
Flight Crew Returned To Gate; General Maintenance Action; General Release Refused / Aircraft Not Accepted
Environment - Non Weather Related; Company Policy; Aircraft
During engine start after pushback C Flight Attendant and I smelled burning oil/fuel. I was experiencing lung irritation and it was detectable as I stepped into the cabin so I said I was going forward to assess how far up it went. As I walked forward I smelled fuel all the to the forward galley and several passengers turned to me with scrunched faces as if they smelled something unpleasant too and so I told the A and D Flight Attendants about the fumes and returned to aft to see if they were dissipating and where they were strongest. Flight Attendant D called to ask more information and I told them again and then we sat a few more minutes while a gate opened for us to return to gate. The Captain announced anyone needing medical care should stay on board as fire trucks had arrived but we followed our cabin odor procedures and had everyone deplane as quickly as possible with carry ons to seek fresh air. This plane had APU odor reported on prior flight we later learned as well as having been over-fueled with problems off loading overloaded tanks by fueler. Someone told the Captain the odor was live pelicans in the cargo hold but Cargo confirmed we do not carry live animals as it has no oxygen supply. After all passengers deplaned with the aircraft plugged into ground AC and doors open a fireman with some kind of monitoring device asked me to go aft again to show him exactly where we smelled the fumes and I refused for safety reasons and told him throughout the cabin and I needed to get off the plane ASAP to seek fresh air so he contained to take readings with the other firemen. All of us felt poorly and had headaches as we stood waiting to be let out of the locked area so paramedics took our health histories and assessed our condition behind the gate podium as an In-flight Supervisor observed. One Paramedic asked us if we were going to get to go home now with full pay which I thought was both unprofessional and out-of-place. Another plane was found and we all opted to return to duty on new plane. I reported to A Flight Attendant after boarding that the C and I agreed there was a louder than normal engine and vibration coming from the lower right side of the galley that could be felt and heard all the way in the floor and right sidewall to doors 3L/R. The First Officer and 2 mechanics assessed and I heard a variety of ideas of what it was. They agreed it was not normal but nothing was done to fix it. It was very loud and unpleasant to the point of being nauseating the entire time we were on the ground; somewhat less in the air which I tried to communicate to the Fire Department and Maintenance. Upon arrival in our destination a passenger seated in aft cabin came to talk to me about what they smelled and felt like from the previous plane. As I was unsure of what they had found I advised them to ask on their way out of aircraft. Maintenance and a station agent boarded with more questions and to address some other cabin issues. I asked them both to assess the burning odor that I felt was coming from the part of the galley where the loud; vibrating engine was running and they said 'more smells??!!' then that they only smelled 'food (which we did not carry) and my loveliness' and walked off; which felt like another brush-off. When we got to our next destination we were told the bearings were going out in the air compressor and that is what was causing the vibration and loud running motor sounds. But we were also told of bleed air valve problems. Bad bearings in an engine sounds like potential fire hazard to me due to friction of malfunctioning parts; especially accompanied by a burning odor (not food or coffee). I suggest addressing maintenance issues before they cause problems for all onboard. Better communication. Compliance with FAR's.
A B757 Flight Attendant reported returning to the gate because of fuel fumes resulting in illness and an aircraft change. The next flight an impending pack failure resulted in additional noise and fumes.