The British Airline Pilots’ Association (BALPA) has issued a statement following the publication of a scientific study into cabin air quality by Cranfield University.

Commenting, Jim McAuslan, BALPA General Secretary said,

‘We welcome this long-awaited report and look forward to receiving the swab tests currently being undertaken by the Institute of Occupational Medicine in Edinburgh. In turn we will be studying the conclusions of the Committee on Toxicity who will be completing the overall research project and drawing together the threads.

‘BALPA called for this research and has always maintained that the most rigorous scientific study is required and that industry must work in partnership on these matters. The Cranfield research is a major contribution to that end and we thank them for their work. We wish this approach underpinned other studies such as on pilot fatigue.

‘Irrespective of the Committee on Toxicity’s conclusions there are examples of pilots who get ill and BALPA will continue to explore this as a matter of concern.’


The study is available via the links below:

https://dspace.lib.cranfield.ac.uk/handle/1826/5305
https://dspace.lib.cranfield.ac.uk/handle/1826/5306