(NewsNation) — Delta Air Lines will replace power units on more than 300 Airbus jets following reports that toxic fumes have contaminated cabin air, posing health and safety risks to passengers and crew, according to a recent Wall Street Journal investigation.
Keith Mackey, a retired airline captain and aviation accident and reconstruction consultant, told “Morning in America” on Friday that the issue has persisted for roughly two decades and primarily affects Airbus A320 aircraft.
“The toxic fumes are apparently coming from an oil leak or external leak in the auxiliary power unit,” he explained. “This isn’t used to power the airplane in flight, but it is used to supply air conditioning or heating on the ground or in flight if needed.”
Delta initiated a replacement program in 2022 and is about 90% complete, an airline spokesperson told the Wall Street Journal. The airline operates 310 A320 family aircraft, including 76 of the latest generation models.
According to the Journal, Airbus has previously identified auxiliary power units and their integration into the A320 as a leading source of toxic fumes entering the “bleed air” system. These so-called “fume events” occur when oil leaks into the engine or power unit’s compression chamber and vaporizes at high temperatures, releasing neurotoxins and other chemicals into cabin air.
Such events have surged in recent years — many linked to the A320 — causing illnesses, brain injuries, and hospitalizations among passengers and crew, the Journal reported.
Replacing aging power units can reduce, but not entirely eliminate, the risk of toxic leaks. Airbus found that most A320 fume events stem from leaks entering the unit via an air inlet on the underside of the aircraft. Another cause is oil leaks within the main jet engines, which supply most of the bleed air during flight.
“I think the proximity and magnitude of the problem haven’t been realized until now,” Mackey said. “It’s becoming evident that there have been more cases of crew and passengers complaining of odors or effects from it; some people have actually been hospitalized because of it, and there’ve been a couple of lawsuits filed.”
Airbus has said future aircraft will relocate the air intake to the top of the fuselage to help solve the problem. However, that design change will only apply to new jets built starting next year, leaving airlines to manage the risks in their current fleets.