A319
Flight Attendant Current
Physiological - Other
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Illness / Injury
General Maintenance Action; General Physical Injury / Incapacitation
Procedure; Human Factors; Environment - Non Weather Related; Company Policy; Aircraft
During boarding both Flight Attendant A and I noticed strong fumes in the forward part of the aircraft. Several passengers commented on the strong fumes in the cabin. 124 passengers; a full flight were on board. Once the door was closed; we still smelled the intense cabin odor; a mixture of sweat sock smell and carbon monoxide. I notified the Captain. He informed me that this was because of the CO coming off of the trucks next door and that it would eventually clear. He later said after the flight that this was an incorrect assessment. Both the A Flight Attendant and I had headaches and felt lightheaded. Once in-flight the cabin air seemed to clear and smelled fresher. Upon landing; right after the thrust reversers were engaged; we noticed the strong and intense chemical fumes once again. Our B Flight Attendant also said she smelled it in the back. The odor was strong and had built up in the cabin during our taxi into the gate. The Captain was notified of the strong cabin fumes and wrote up the aircraft for a 'fume event'. Our eyes were burning; passengers were coughing and I was feeling disoriented. The fumes in the cabin triggered chemically induced asthma as I am having difficulty breathing and wheezing. Once the passengers were off; the crew immediately exited the aircraft. The Captain stayed behind in the flight deck writing up the aircraft following prescribed procedures for a fume event. The fumes were extremely strong in the cabin. Both pilots said they did not notice any fumes in the flight deck. All three flight attendants experienced burning eyes and scratchy sore throats from the fume exposure. I have contacted In-flight Services; talked to a Supervisor and have set up an appointment with a Company Physician as my breathing is labored post exposure and has exacerbated my asthma. I have great concerns that the Flight Attendant crew and 124 passengers were exposed to the neurotoxin chemical TCP found in engine oil/hydraulic fluid and also CO. This potentially could have contaminated the cabin air through the engine bleed air.Engine maintenance/bleed air causing toxic fumes and to enter cabin air vents. Ground this aircraft for a complete inspection locating the seal leaks that contributed to the toxic air exposure that our crew and passengers were exposed to during our fume event. Make sure that this fume event is reported to the FAA as legally mandated. Ensure that all crewmembers have been documented to have been exposed to toxic cabin air and could potentially need future medical attention should we get sick from the chemical exposure to CO and TCP. More training needs to be implemented for crewmembers and what procedures need to be followed during a fume event. Many people including crewmembers are completely unaware of toxic air exposure on airplanes.
An A319 Flight Attendant reported a dirty socks odor during preflight but the flight proceeded because the Captain did detect the odor nor was it present during flight. After landing; the odor was overwhelming and maintenance action was taken.