Airline crew members from several different British airlines have launched personal injury claims against their employers claiming they have been poisoned by contaminated cabin air. At least 17 former and current cabin crew staff who believe they are suffering from Aerotoxic Syndrome have today launched civil cases against their airlines, according to Unite the union.Aerotoxic Syndrome is the term given to the illness caused by exposure to contaminated air in jet aircraft.

The cases were launched amid growing concern among airline workers about air quality.

In April Unite, which represents 20,000 flight crew members, launched a helpline for worried employees and the union announced today that 17 former and current cabin crew staff working for unnamed British airlines are taking up civil cases – and they expect to have many more members contact them in coming months.

A Unite spokesman said: ‘It is quite clear that the industry needs to do more to monitor the quality of cabin air.’

Unite has repeated its call for a public inquiry into the issue.

The airline industry has always maintained that incidents involving smoke or fumes on planes are rare, believing there was no evidence of long-term health effects.

Source: British airline crews launch personal injury claims over Aerotoxic Syndrome | Daily Mail Online