Seven flight attendants became sick aboard a Hawaii-bound passenger jet last week after an unidentified odor spread through the cabin, prompting an emergency response when the aircraft reached Honolulu.
The incident has once again put an uncomfortable aviation issue under scrutiny: what exactly are passengers and crew breathing when unusual fumes appear inside a commercial aircraft?
The episode occurred September 24 aboard Alaska Airlines Flight 803, which was operating under the Hawaiian Airlines brand on a flight from Los Angeles to Honolulu. The Airbus A330 was carrying 252 passengers and nine crew members when an odor was reported during the flight.
By the time the aircraft reached Daniel K. Inouye International Airport, emergency personnel were prepared to respond.
