What Happens During a Fume Event and How It Can Harm Your Body

When you step onto an airplane, you expect clean, pressurized air to fill the cabin. 

But for many unsuspecting passengers, the cabin’s air may contain something invisible—and toxic.

Across the aviation industry, “fume events” have emerged as one of the most underreported dangers of modern air travel. These incidents expose passengers and flight crews to harmful chemicals that can cause serious, long-lasting health problems.

At Morgan & Morgan, we’re representing victims of toxic cabin air exposure, people who trusted airlines and aircraft manufacturers to keep them safe, only to suffer debilitating effects from something they couldn’t even see.

Here’s what really happens during a fume event and how it can harm your body.

If you believe you were exposed, contact us anytime for a free case evaluation.

Step-by-Step: How Bleed-Air Contamination Occurs

To understand fume events, it helps to know how air gets into an airplane cabin in the first place.

Most commercial aircraft use a system known as “bleed air” to provide breathable cabin air. This system draws compressed air directly from the engines. The air is then cooled, filtered, and circulated through the cabin and cockpit.

Under normal conditions, the system is designed to keep engine oils, hydraulic fluids, and other chemicals separate from the airflow, but when seals fail or when an engine is under high stress, toxic substances can leak past these barriers.

Here’s what typically happens:

1. Rubber or synthetic seals inside the engine wear out or malfunction.
2. Oil or hydraulic fluid leaks into the compressor section.
3. The leaked substances are heated to extremely high temperatures, causing them to vaporize or aerosolize.
4. These toxic vapors are drawn into the bleed air system and mixed with the air that passengers and crew breathe.
5. The contaminated air then spreads throughout the entire cabin and cockpit in seconds.

Because the fumes are often colorless and odorless or masked by cabin air fresheners, many people on board don’t realize what’s happening until they feel sick.

The Role of Engine Oils, Hydraulic Fluids, and Neurotoxins

The most alarming part of a fume event isn’t just that air becomes contaminated. It’s what’s in that air.

Jet engine oils and hydraulic fluids are made to withstand intense temperatures and pressures. They contain chemical additives designed for performance, not safety. When these substances burn or vaporize, they release a toxic cocktail of compounds, including:

• Organophosphates, such as tricresyl phosphate (TCP), which are potent neurotoxins also found in certain pesticides and nerve agents.
• Carbon monoxide, a colorless gas that deprives the brain and organs of oxygen.
• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) like toluene and xylene which irritate the eyes, throat, and lungs.
• Aldehydes and ultrafine particles, which can penetrate deep into lung tissue and cross the blood-brain barrier.
   

When inhaled, these chemicals can immediately enter the bloodstream, potentially leading to neurological, respiratory, and cardiovascular harm.

The longer or more frequent the exposure, the higher the risk of developing chronic, cumulative injury.

Immediate Health Effects Reported Onboard

During or shortly after a fume event, crew members and passengers may experience sudden, unexplained symptoms, often mistaken for altitude sickness or anxiety.

Common reports include:

• Headaches and dizziness
• Nausea or vomiting
• Eye, nose, or throat irritation
• Confusion or disorientation
• Tremors or loss of coordination
• Shortness of breath or coughing
• Fatigue and muscle weakness

Pilots have described feeling “foggy” or “drunk” while flying, and flight attendants have reported collapsing mid-flight due to exposure.

In extreme cases, fume events have forced emergency landings when flight crews became too incapacitated to safely continue flying.

Even when symptoms fade after landing, the underlying chemical exposure can leave lasting damage that surfaces days—or even months—later.

Long-Term Effects: Cognitive, Muscular, and Respiratory

Repeated or severe exposure to toxic cabin air can have long-term consequences. Medical researchers and occupational health specialists have identified a pattern of symptoms among airline workers and frequent fliers known as Aerotoxic Syndrome.

Long-term effects can include:

• Cognitive impairments: memory loss, brain fog, difficulty concentrating
• Neurological issues: tremors, tingling, balance problems, neuropathy
• Muscular effects: chronic weakness, fatigue, pain
• Respiratory disorders: asthma, chronic bronchitis, or hypersensitivity pneumonitis
• Mood and behavior changes: depression, irritability, sleep disturbances

Because these conditions develop gradually, they’re often misdiagnosed as unrelated neurological or psychological issues. But for victims exposed to contaminated cabin air, these symptoms can be life-changing, forcing many flight crew members to retire early or live with permanent disability.

Why These Exposures Are So Hard to Detect in Real Time

Fume events are notoriously difficult to detect as they happen, and that’s one reason the problem has persisted for decades.

Unlike smoke or visible gas leaks, many of the chemicals released during a fume event are invisible and odorless. Cabin air sensors typically monitor temperature and pressure, not toxicity.

Even when passengers or crew notice a strong “dirty sock” or “oily” smell, by the time they report it, the contaminated air may have already dissipated or mixed with clean airflow.

Furthermore:

• Airlines rarely test for chemical residue immediately after flights.
• Medical symptoms can appear hours later, after passengers have left the airport.
• Toxins degrade quickly, making laboratory detection more difficult.

This delay in recognition often leads airlines to dismiss complaints as “subjective” or “unverified,” while victims struggle to prove what happened.

How Even Short Exposures Can Cause Lasting Harm

Some victims assume that if they were only exposed for a few minutes, they’re safe. Unfortunately, that’s not always true.

Even a single, brief fume event can cause significant harm, especially when the chemicals involved are neurotoxic.

Studies on organophosphate exposure show that even short-term contact can cause measurable neurological damage, disrupting the body’s ability to transmit signals between nerves and muscles.

Once these chemicals enter the bloodstream, they can:

• Interfere with neurotransmitters that control muscle function and cognition
• Damage lung tissue, leading to chronic respiratory conditions
• Trigger inflammation and oxidative stress in the brain
• Create long-term sensitivity to chemical exposures

For some people, these effects never fully resolve, resulting in persistent health issues that impact their ability to work, concentrate, or breathe normally.

The Importance of Medical Testing After Any Suspected Event

If you suspect you were exposed to toxic cabin air, whether you’re a passenger or crew member, seek medical attention immediately.

Because fume-related illnesses mimic other conditions, it’s critical to document symptoms early and request specific testing for chemical exposure.

Medical steps to take include:

1. Visit a doctor or emergency room as soon as possible after landing.
2. Explain that you may have been exposed to jet engine oil fumes. Many physicians are unfamiliar with this issue.
3. Request tests for cholinesterase activity, carbon monoxide levels, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
4. Ask for neurological and pulmonary evaluations, especially if you experience confusion, breathing difficulty, or numbness.
5. Keep copies of your medical records, flight information, and witness reports from the incident.

Early testing can improve your chances of recovery and also serve as crucial evidence if you decide to pursue legal action later.

Evidence Used to Link Health Issues to Exposure

Proving that toxic cabin air caused your illness requires careful investigation and documentation. At Morgan & Morgan, our legal and scientific teams work together to gather and analyze evidence such as:

• Flight logs and maintenance records, to identify seal failures or previous fume reports.
• Crew and passenger statements, confirming odors, smoke, or visible haze during the flight.
• Air sampling or residue tests, showing the presence of engine oil or hydraulic fluid contaminants.
• Medical and toxicology reports, demonstrating exposure to organophosphates or other chemicals.
• Expert testimony, linking known toxins to your specific injuries.

These cases are complex, but with the right legal representation, victims can build a strong case connecting their illness to an in-flight fume event.

Passenger and Crew Rights Under Personal Injury Law

Both airline passengers and crew members have rights when it comes to toxic exposure.

Passengers may be entitled to pursue a personal injury or product liability claim against the airline or aircraft manufacturer.

Flight attendants, pilots, and maintenance personnel may have additional protections under workers’ compensation laws, and may also have grounds for negligence or failure-to-warn claims.

Under personal injury law, you may be eligible to recover damages for:

• Medical expenses and ongoing treatment
• Lost wages or loss of earning capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Permanent disability

Airlines and manufacturers have a duty to provide safe, breathable air to everyone onboard. When they fail in that duty, and their negligence results in harm, the law allows victims to seek compensation and justice.

Legal Remedies Available to Victims of Exposure

Morgan & Morgan is actively investigating and litigating cases involving toxic cabin air exposure nationwide.

Our attorneys pursue claims on behalf of:

• Flight crew members diagnosed with neurological, respiratory, or cognitive injuries linked to fume events
• Passengers who suffered illness or hospitalization after contaminated flights
• Families of victims who experienced lasting or fatal complications
   

Legal remedies may include:

• Product liability claims against aircraft or engine manufacturers for defective designs that allow contamination
• Negligence claims against airlines that failed to repair known seal issues or report fume events
• Toxic tort litigation, combining scientific evidence and expert testimony to prove causation
• Class action or mass tort claims, when large groups of victims have been affected by the same design flaws

At Morgan & Morgan, we have the size, resources, and experience to take on global corporations and win. With offices nationwide and a track record of success in aviation and toxic exposure cases, we’re helping victims fight back against an industry that has looked the other way for too long.

For Those Exposed, the Fight Isn’t Over

A fume event may last only minutes, but its effects can last a lifetime.

For too long, passengers and crew have suffered in silence, told their symptoms were “in their heads” or “just part of the job.” But the truth is clear: toxic cabin air is a preventable hazard, and those responsible must be held accountable.

At Morgan & Morgan, we’re fighting For the People harmed by this hidden crisis, people who deserve answers, care, and justice.

If you or a loved one became ill after a flight, contact Morgan & Morgan today for a free, no-obligation case evaluation. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries and medical costs, and your case could help make the skies safer for everyone.