B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 98; Flight Crew Type 4250
Other / Unknown
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor; Ground Event / Encounter Other / Unknown
General Flight Cancelled / Delayed
Airport; Incorrect / Not Installed / Unavailable Part; Equipment / Tooling; Company Policy
My crew and I experienced an unsafe situation. We had arrived at the gate approximately 1 hour prior to our scheduled departure to discover an extremely unsafe level of Carbon Monoxide in our aircraft cabin. With the help of the Flight Attendants; we opened all aircraft doors to try to 'air out' the cabin prior to passenger boarding. I called Ops and reported the problem and asked them to remove the adjacent aircraft as I initially believed that to be the piece of equipment that was dispelling extreme exhaust fumes (the jet bridge air unit is apparently inoperative) With the cabin somewhat airing out and all aircraft doors still open; I realized that the unsafe exhaust fumes were still entering the cabin; upon further investigation; I realized that the Ground Proximity Unit (GPU); next to the aircraft right side of the nose area was also spewing a great plume of exhaust smoke! I again called Ops and asked for that piece of equipment to be shut down and removed. I also went outside to discuss the problem with the first Ramp Agent that I located. He informed me that numerous pieces of ground equipment are in similar; poor condition and that the air units on many jet bridges are inoperable forcing them to utilize the Ground Support Equipment (GSE) that are faulty as they have no other choice! One of our Gate Agents also stated that they have 'this problem' every morning! The conditions that our Ramp workers are subject to; as well as our Gate Agents; working in close proximity to these faulty pieces of GSE is unacceptable and UNSAFE! The cabin air when my crew and I entered the cabin was UNSAFE! Please do all that you can to have these faulty pieces of equipment either repaired or replaced ASAP so that none of us suffer irreparable health conditions because of them. I informed Ops at the time of the incident. I feel that this is a critical situation that needs to be addressed!
A B737 Captain discovered excessive carbon monoxide and exhaust fumes inside the aircraft at PHL prior to passenger boarding.