Delta replaces engines over 300 planes after toxic smoke incidents

Delta Air Lines replaces certain engines for more than 300 of its Airbus aircraft after incidents of toxic smoke has contaminated cabin air and members and passengers of the sick crew, according to information.

The airline has exchanged auxiliary power units (APU) – small engines located at the rear of the planes – since 2022, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.

The units provide electricity and cabin air when the main engines do not work and do not provide propulsion for theft. Delta says that work on its A320 planes is now around 90%complete.

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The defective APUs can disclose oil in the airflow flow system, allowing smoke and toxic odors to spread in the cabin, potentially even when the units do not work.

Airbus has recognized the design of the APU as a leading factor in these incidents, although other aircraft engines can also flee the oil.

Plans such as the Boeing 737, above, use auxiliary food units which can sometimes flee smoke in the cabin air. (istock)

Toxic air events for Delta and other American carriers have increased in recent years, especially on Airbus 320-Family aircraft, The newspaper reported Earlier this month. Fumes were linked to brain damage and other health problems among crew members and passengers and caused diverted and abandoned flights. Some pilots even needed oxygen masks.

A Jetblue on -board agent has developed a traumatic brain lesion resembling a concussion of NFL style after having inhaled toxic smoke which, according to her, felt clearly “dirty feet” while going to Puerto Rico.

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Florence Chesson said she had the impression that she had been drugged after taking a deep inspiration when her colleague asked if she felt something.

“I felt like I was talking about Charabia,” she told the newspaper. “I remember being very repetitive, saying:” What has just happened to me? What happens to me? “”

In February, a delta flight aboard a Boeing 717 filled with thick white smoke spilling through the vents. An investigation later revealed that so much oil had sank into one of the engines he left the reservoir almost empty.

Three former employees continue various airlines for toxic smoke incidents between 2022 and 2024. (Chris J. Ratcliffe / Bloomberg via Getty Images)

A trial submitted on September 3 by three former JetBlue on -board agents, on the other hand, accuses the airline, the Airbus and APU Honeywell supplier of allowing the harmful smoke to flee in the cabin between 2022 and 2024, as the newspaper also reported.

The prosecution claims that exposure has caused sustainable health effects, including tremors, cardiac palpitations and memory problems. In an incident in 2022, a child had nose bleeding and four crew members met in the hospital.

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A jetblue spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the airline “took nothing more seriously than the safety and health of our crew members and our customers.” He said that air quality concerns exist on an industry scale.

“Different odors can occur for various reasons and constitute a normal part of the exploitation and maintenance of planes,” added the spokesperson. “We would never use an airplane if we thought it was a health or security risk for our customers or crew members.”

Not all events are reported and airlines use different standards to alert the Federal Aviation Administration.

The airline “will continue to take measures to minimize air quality problems and to support crew members when they occur,” said the spokesperson. JetBlue said that he had taken measures, including upgrading the APUs, the installation of HEPA filters at the fleet scale, the improvement of cleaning protocols and the revision of report procedures.

Industry data suggests that it is difficult to know exactly how common the problem is, because all events are not reported and airlines do not use different standards to alert the Federal Aviation Administration.

An auxiliary power supply unit is a small engine that provides electricity and air to an airplane when the main engines are turned off. (Images Kevin Carter / Getty)

Internal files show that manufacturers and regulators have experienced seal problems in APU for decades. Honeywell and Pratt & Whitney, two of the largest suppliers, have encountered problems with the A320-Family models, in particular with seals designed to prevent oil from entering air food, as reported by the newspaper.

Companies have published several fixes over the years, and Honeywell has deployed another update in 2023 which, according to her, would improve passenger experience by reducing odor events.

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A similar version of the Honeywell APU is also used on the Boeing Jets 737 family. American Airlines, on the other hand, began to upgrade the Honeywell APU seals in April 2023.

Honeywell and Pratt & Whitney did not comment on the newspaper reports.

The replacement of older APUs can reduce the risk of leaks but does not completely solve the problem, experts in the newspaper said. The main engines of the plane, which also pump “purge air” under pressure in the cabin, can also disclose oil.

Oil fumes in the cabins have been a problem for decades, depending on reports. (istock)

Airbus found that most of the APU smoke events are caused by oil or fluids entering the air inlet.

Its long -term proposed solution includes moving the entrance up of the plane and would reduce the “smell” events by 85%, but would only be done in new planes.

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Fox News Digital contacted Delta and Airbus to comment.

In statements, Delta said smoked events are rare, but it takes them seriously.

A spokesperson also told Fox News Digital: “Other than reiterating that security comes above all to Delta, Delta has no comments or additional advice at the moment.”

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Airbus told Fox News Digital that her planes met the regulatory requirements and said she continued to work with airlines and regulators to “improve her planes and ensure the best possible cabin environment for passengers and the crew”.