[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 86 (Wednesday, June 12, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6145-S6146]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. FEINSTEIN:
  S. 1865. A bill to direct the Administrator of the Federal Aviation 
Administration to issue regulations relating to recirculation of fresh 
air in commercial aircraft, and for other purposes; to the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation.


                   The Aviation Clean Air Act of 1996

  Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise to introduce legislation having 
to do with the quality of air in passenger cabins of commercial 
aircraft.
  I want to begin for a moment by telling you how I got into this. 
Three years ago, obviously coming to the Senate, I began a whole series 
of flights from San Francisco and from Los Angeles to Washington, and I 
noticed something. I noticed when I rode a 747 I did not get a headache 
and the circulation in my hand did not cease. When I rode a 757 or a 
767, I began to get rather severe headaches. If I fell asleep, the 
circulation in my hand ceased. This, then, promptly woke me up.
  I began to look into it. What did I find? I looked at Federal clean 
air standards for enclosed spaces. I found that the Federal standard 
for fresh air in prison cells is 20 cubic feet per person per minute. 
The fresh air standard for an office building, for a theater lobby, for 
a restaurant, is the same. Then I found there were no fresh air 
standards for commercial aircraft.
  So I asked, what are the existing levels? Let me tell you what I 
found. The average amount of fresh air circulation in a 757 is 9 cubic 
feet per person. The average amount of fresh air in a 767 is 9.1 cubic 
feet per person per minute. The new 737's, provide an average of 9.6 
cubic feet per person per minute. Now, what is the significance? The 
significance is that it is less than one-half the fresh air that is 
required in a prison cell, an office or a restaurant. And then I began 
to ask flight attendants about the problems. What I learned is that 
stories documented of sore throats and headaches, of difficulty of 
breathing, of poor circulation in the body and swollen legs, of colds, 
flus, and airborne diseases, such as flu and tuberculosis are now 
beginning to spiral throughout the 1.4 million passengers per day that 
ride commercial airlines.
  Well, today I want to introduce in the Senate an idea whose time has 
come, and that is an aviation clean air act. This is also being 
introduced in the House of Representatives at the same time. 
Essentially, what this bill would require is that commercial airlines 
provide ventilation systems that provide 20 cubic feet of fresh air per 
person per minute in the cabin. This is equal to what is provided today 
by older aircraft, namely, the 747. Many of the larger commercial 
aircraft, such as the 737's, 757's, or 767's, as I said, provide less 
than one-half of what is provided by a 747.
  Second, the bill would ensure that air filters used in airplane cabin 
air recirculation systems are monitored and changed regularly.
  Third, it would require that airlines monitor humidity and ozone 
levels.
  Fourth, it would require the FAA to create a ``1-800'' number to 
receive reports of illnesses relating to air travel.
  I also want to introduce into the Record directly following my 
statement a statement of Patricia Friend, the international president 
of the Association of Flight Attendants; a statement of Andrew 
Parramore, a flight attendant; a statement of Joe Johnson, a member of 
the Association of Flight Attendants, and Janie Johnson, a member of 
the Association of Flight Attendants.
  I ask unanimous consent that they be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the materials were ordered to be printed in 
the Record as follows:

    Statement of Patricia Friend at an Aviation Clean Air Act Press 
                               Conference

       On behalf of the 40,000 members of the Association of 
     Flight Attendants, I would like to thank Senator Dianne 
     Feinstein and Representative Jerrold Nadler for today 
     introducing legislation that will significantly air quality 
     in the airplane cabin.
       This legislation seeks to establish a minimum ventilation 
     standard of 20 cubic feet of fresh air per minute per person 
     in the cabin. In addition to the ventilation standard, the 
     proposed legislation would also require the monitoring of air 
     filters, ozone and humidity. The Aviation Clean Air Act of 
     1996 seeks to establish a toll-free telephone number at the 
     FAA for individuals to report cabin air quality incidents. 
     These are critical elements to achieving a healthy workplace 
     for flight attendants.
       While frequent fliers often complain of headaches, nausea, 
     dizziness, consistently coming down with upper respiratory 
     viral infections after flying, and in some cases, passing out 
     during flight and having oxygen administered by the flight 
     attendants, the flight attendants themselves are at even 
     greater risk from poor cabin air quality.
       Flight attendants are inflight safety professionals. In the 
     daily performance of our duties, we inhale a greater amount 
     of air, increasing our exposure to viruses and bacteria, 
     fumes from chemical solvents, and carbon monoxide from 
     incomplete combustion of fuel. Flight attendants who 
     routinely work in cabins with poor air quality complain of 
     respiratory problems and other health difficulties such as 
     dizziness, severe headaches, loss of balance and numbness in 
     the hands.
       Our position on increased fresh air in the cabin is 
     supported by the FAA's recently introduced final rule. The 
     FAA determined that health and safety considerations justify 
     these standards, stating that cabin crew members must be able 
     to perform their duties without undue discomfort or fatigue.
       Regrettably, their rule did not address air quality in 
     aircraft currently being operated but applies only to future 
     generation aircraft. After 7 years of pending rule-making, 
     the FAA's final rule is still unsatisfactory offering too 
     little, too late.
       Recall the USAir Flight 1016 accident on a DC9-31 (with 
     100% fresh air), in which the flight attendants helped 
     passengers to escape from the aircraft. One of them, Rich 
     DeMary, repeatedly risked his life to single-handedly save 
     four persons from the burning wreckage. Imagine what might 
     have happened had these flight attendants been suffering loss 
     of balance, headaches, or numbness in their hands. Whether it 
     is reacting to severe turbulence, safely evacuating 
     passengers during an emergency or responding to an onboard 
     fire, flight attendants must be ready to respond at a 
     moment's notice.
       AFA strongly supports the legislation to establish a 
     minimum standard of 20 cubic feet of fresh air per minute per 
     person in the cabin. Both Senator Feinstein and 
     Representative Nadler deserve the thanks of all flight 
     attendants and passengers, whose health and safety will 
     benefit from this legislation.
                                                                    ____


                     Statement of Andrew Parramore

       On April 25, 1994, on an aircraft with recirculated air, 
     scheduled to fly from Los Angeles to the East coast, with 103 
     passengers and 7 flight attendants aboard, developed severe 
     air cabin quality problems. The result was an eventual 
     unscheduled landing in Chicago, where passengers and crew 
     were met by paramedics, and one flight attendant was 
     hospitalized with abnormally high carbon monoxide levels. 
     Four others went en route sick list, experiencing headache, 
     disorientation, motor skill impairment and respiratory 
     difficulties, symptoms, I was told by a physician, which are 
     consistent with prolonged exposure to carbon monoxide 
     poisoning and resultant oxygen deprivation.
       Immediately upon takeoff the coach cabin filled with dense 
     white smoke, the flight attendants experienced eye 
     irritation, smells described as overheating metal and/or 
     electrical fire, and a bitter metallic taste. The cockpit was 
     notified, the cabin was searched for source of possible fire, 
     and the problem attributed to a deferred, inoperative air 
     pack which had been activated. Crewmembers noted an unusually 
     high percentage of coach passengers in a deep, heavy sleep; 
     the few conscious complained of dizziness, fatigue, headache, 
     nausea, and complained of the cabin air. Flight attendants 
     were unable to complete the beverage service without rotating 
     to the cockpit for supplementary oxygen.
       At this point, one of the flight attendants described what 
     happened:
       ``I tried to finish setting up two liquor carts. I had to 
     leave at least twice and go to the forward galley to warm up 
     and clear my head, but eventually I went to the cockpit for 
     oxygen as well. When I was in the cockpit, I again told the 
     pilots we were feeling ill and several passengers had 
     complained. [The pilots] hypothesized what the problem could 
     be but I definitely got the impression that they thought this 
     was a cosmetic problem (bad smell in the cabin) and our 
     illness was all in our heads. They asked why the first class 
     flight attendants were not feeling ill. I said the smoke and 
     fumes were primarily in the main cabin and not first class.''
       I then came into the cockpit to take oxygen.

[[Page S6146]]

       Our symptoms worsened, and individual oxygen bottles were 
     soon retrieved. The flight attendant crew experienced 
     increasing loss of motor skills and mental alertness, loss of 
     ability to judge time passage and elementary computations, 
     disorientation, headache, extreme fatigue. The lunch service 
     was canceled, passengers awakened with great difficulty and 
     relocated from coach to business class [which is designed to 
     provide a somewhat increased level of fresh air per person] 
     where effects seemed less severe. The flight attendants 
     responsible for the coach section of the aircraft spent the 
     last two hours of the flight seated, breathing from oxygen 
     bottles. Individual flight attendants intermittently lost 
     consciousness. Passengers were either completely ``out'', 
     often with flushed faces, or in an apathetic, non 
     communicative ``daze''. The airline safety official's ``best 
     guess'' is that the malfunctioning air pack combusted 
     superheated synthetic oil, flooding the coach cabin with 
     resulting fumes and particulate irritants and as a byproduct 
     created poisonous carbon monoxide.
                                                                    ____


                        Statement of Joe Johnson

       I have been a flight attendant for about 16 years and 
     traveling by air for much longer than that. With the 
     relatively recent introduction of aircraft with recycled air 
     systems, I have experienced a reduction of air quality on 
     board. I have experienced fatigue, difficulty in breathing, 
     lightheadedness, and headaches on some flights. Passengers 
     often complain to me of the same. The first thought is that 
     this could be due to smoking on board flights. However, since 
     most flights have been nonsmoking for some time, I believe 
     this is just a contributing factor.
       There is a marked difference in air quality when flying 
     older aircraft such as the 747-100 series, any 727 or 737-200 
     series. I am told by experts in the field this is due to 100 
     percent fresh air exchange on the older airplanes. On some 
     newer generation airplanes, we frequently ask the pilots to 
     turn off the recirculation fans, which I understand, allows 
     more fresh air into the cabin. This procedure, I am told by 
     our engineers, theoretically uses more fuel, however, it does 
     improve air quality. You can surmise in an era of cost 
     control that this practice is not popular among airline 
     management's.
       Another area that contributes to poor air quality is the 
     lack of adequate maintenance of the filtration systems. I 
     have witnessed filters that are so black and clogged I don't 
     know how any air could have passed through. On a recent 
     flight from Los Angeles to Washington, a frequent flying 
     passenger repeatedly asked me to ask the pilots to improve 
     the air quality and air flow. He proclaimed to all who were 
     around that, ``I travel all the time and we are all going to 
     have black lungs from the air on board airplanes. These new 
     planes are terrible.'' I repeatedly relayed his requests to 
     the cockpit.
       Due to design, it would appear, air quality continues to 
     deteriorate. This is a real problem for flights attendants as 
     well as the traveling public.
                                                                    ____


                       Statement of Janie Johnson

       As a veteran flight attendant for 23 years, I believe the 
     air quality continues to deteriorate. A great number of 
     flight attendants experience headaches, have difficulty 
     breathing, suffer from upper respiratory problems and are 
     fatigued.
       On August 24, 1994, I worked a flight from Washington, DC 
     to Anchorage International via Denver's Stapleton airport. It 
     was an aircraft with recirculating cabin air and was a non-
     smoking flight. The air was stuffy. Many passengers requested 
     aspirin and I myself had a terrible headache, with sharp 
     pains between my eyes. I also had a difficult time breathing. 
     It was as if someone was standing on my chest.
       We reported this to the pilots and they turned off a 
     recirculation fan to see if it would help and it did. Within 
     approximately 20 minutes I found it much easier to breath and 
     my headache was gone.
       Upon our return flight from Anchorage to Dulles, via Denver 
     on a different aircraft of the same type, we experienced the 
     same symptoms and again the pilots turned off one of the 
     recirculation fans. The results were the same. We did notice 
     that the ceiling vents in both galleys were obstructed by 
     lint. We logged the problems with the air quality and upon 
     our arrival into Denver, mechanics removed the covers and 
     cleaned the filters. They were almost totally blanketed with 
     what appeared to be lint, and other debris.
       I am not a doctor nor a mechanic but just a flight 
     attendant that makes a living of working on board airplanes. 
     Lack of good air quality is negatively impacting not only my 
     health but the health of my flying partners and passengers 
     who travel on board our airplanes every day. During a 
     conference call regarding air quality on one of the new 
     generation of aircraft with recirculated air, the maintenance 
     engineer commented, ``when I went to training for this 
     system, I was told it was a flying cold.''
       Numerous incidents of poor air quality have been filed by 
     flight attendants, yet, over the years, conditions continue 
     to worsen. It would appear for the sake of some fuel savings, 
     air quality and our health and safety continue to suffer.
                                 ______