Aerotoxic Syndrome

Interview with Bearnairdine Beaumont

This is something I knew nothing about.

I noticed that Bearnairdine knew more than a bit about the subject so I’m very grateful that she accepted my invitation to generously share her deep experience and expertise with us.

With thanks to Bearnairdine Beaumont.

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1. Bearnairdine, you've had a fascinating journey from working as a medical laboratory assistant to a flight attendant to now championing the cause of toxic fumes in aircraft cabins. Can you share how your own health issues as a flight attendant sparked this passionate advocacy?

I began my flying career after working over 5 years as a laboratory assistant. Following in my father’s footsteps who was a pilot, I planned to fly until retirement age which was 55 at the airline I worked for. At the age of 40, my health deteriorated rapidly. I had the weirdest symptoms, which at first were put down to allergies. I felt sick on flights, especially long-haul flights. The fumes entering the plane before and during take-off made me feel ill. The smell in the airplane when boarding the first thing was giving me headaches. Also, on many of those flights we had to spray insecticides depending on which country we flew to or came from, they made me cough and sneeze and made my skin itchy and red. I often felt dizzy and overwhelmingly tired, confused, and had trouble remembering the names of my team – I forgot them instantly after they introduced themselves. One day I couldn’t remember how I got home. After my next flight, I had to stop my car at the side of the road I felt so ill and so deathly tired my eyes kept closing. When I woke up I had slumped over in my driver's seat hanging in the safety belt unconscious – 1 mile from my home. The really scary part was that I couldn’t figure out how to start my car – I couldn’t find the ignition, and when I finally did, I couldn’t coordinate my feet and hands to change gears and accelerate to get the car moving - it seemed I had forgotten how to drive. That’s when I knew something was very wrong. I searched for help and found it. Then my union asked me to give some interviews since they were dealing with the issue and needed somebody to talk about it in the media. And that’s when it all began.

2. What was the turning point that made you decide to leave your career as a flight attendant and start an alternative health center?

I was practically forced into medical retirement – I was unfit to fly. My doctors diagnosed a “severe nervous system and brain injury, respiratory problems, and acquired chemical sensitivity ”. They found metabolites of chemicals in my blood that were known to be contaminating the air on board. On my last flight, I gathered some dust in the cabin. Tests in a forensic lab showed residue of specific chemicals in the dust. They told me if I didn’t stop flying I would get worse and I shouldn't ever work in a space with possible air contamination anymore. I had to avoid any contact or inhalation with those and similar fumes. I was suddenly a disabled person. 

3. You mention that a single flight as a passenger, where a fume event occurred, drastically impacted your health again and forced you to close your beloved health center. Can you describe what happened and the aftermath of that incident?

Yes. I had managed to regain some of my health after more than two years of rigorous and dedicated lifestyle changes and therapies. One day a former colleague, who had been medically retired for the same reasons, called me to attend a conference she was organizing to give a talk about my experience with aerotoxic syndrome. I had left Germany, so I took a plane. I wore a triple filter mask to protect my lungs to be on the safe side. We landed and were taxiing to the gate position when the pilots had to stop and tell us that the gate was not yet available. While we waited, they kept the engines revving, and just as I was wondering why, a massive plume of toxic gases entered the cabin, and before I could react - I had already taken off my mask - I had inhaled once, twice, and that was it. It was enough for my nervous system to react and the "memory" in the cells to reawaken. Cellular or immunological memory is the faster and stronger response that follows re-exposure to the same substance. By the time we disembarked, I had a typical throbbing headache, my neck was stiff (a reaction to toxins in the body), and I felt fuzzy and confused. On the way back the next day, I had a specially calibrated professional air meter with me, given to me by a former pilot who was also a licensed medical doctor who was also attending the conference. It happened to be the same plane as the day before. As instructed, I turned it on when the doors closed and left it on until just before the doors opened. A few weeks later, after sending it to the specialty lab, I got the results back. These were the substances the device picked up - I was exposed to a combination of chemical fumes also on the return flight. The immediate effect on the flight was that I slept like a log the whole way and couldn't get rid of the severe headaches. From that day on, my health deteriorated again, all the symptoms were back, but worse. Several times I thought I was going to die; they were so severe. I thought my brain was going to explode, my spinal cord and neck felt tight and very painful as if someone was constantly drumming their fingers over it, causing electrical impulses, my muscles ached, and I could hardly move. The endless dizzy spells that came and went, the pounding headaches, the hearing loss, and the extremely loud tinnitus nearly broke my willpower. I kept falling over and falling asleep in the middle of a sentence. I could not concentrate, had trouble finding words, and wrote words backward without realizing it. Everything seemed to be falling apart. 

4. As the founder of the "International Aerotoxic Team Network," what are the network's primary goals and what strategies do you employ to raise awareness about the dangers of toxic fumes on airplanes?

Our goal is to present evidence-based information. We have collected high-quality, relevant, accessible reviews and other synthesized research, and we continue to do so. Our vision is an aviation world where decisions are made with more respect for the health of aviation customers and the aviation workforce. We must continue to spread the word through social and other media. The unions, which we had hoped would be a great help, have not yet proved to be a real force. Lawsuits are often settled out of court with gag orders. But more are coming out, we just had success in France - the judges there understood, they also demanded pathological proof and got it - three court cases were won by injured pilots. 

5. You've been part of many interviews, talk shows and documentaries on the subject of cabin air quality. What has the media response been like over the years and do you feel the coverage has made an impact?

Interesting to say the least. Many would pick up the stories and get all worked up about how dangerous this problem seems to be and how it is that nothing is being done about it, and then suddenly all interest disappears and is hardly ever picked up again. There is also the factor of "what I don't see can't be". The "doesn't look like it" applies to the toxic fumes and to those of us who have been open about it and stuck our necks out and put our faces out there, but many of us don't look "like death". It is an often invisible disease - visibly, most of the time only close friends and family can notice the differences and changes - which leads many people, including doctors to think we are exaggerating: "It can't be that bad". It is a disease that causes dysfunction from within, it damages multiple organs moving slowly; as research studies have proven, several of the found substances in the fumes cause hormonal disruptions and cancer and there have been deaths that pathologists have found to be related to toxic fumes causing what we call "aerotoxic syndrome". 

6. Your book titles, like "The Air I Breathe - It's Classified" and "Tomb In The Sky-Aviation's Wounded Canaries" are quite evocative. What inspired these titles and what are the core messages you aim to convey through your books?

When I wrote my first book, I was still in the throes of violent symptoms – I felt our story through mine needed to be heard. I also felt that by telling my story from the beginning would make the whole issue easier to understand. The Air I Breathe – It’s Classified, describes the problems bringing this subject into the light of day and is in parts a bit technical. As can be seen on my website, studies were published decades ago, and aviation manufacturers’ engineers spoke amongst each other and warned in internal emails about the problem but weren’t heard, internal documents informing airlines how to deal with fumes were marked classified. So that seemed appropriate. Without clean air, no living being can survive. The Tomb in the Sky – I know this is provocative – it followed several deaths. Pilots and cabin crew who died suddenly following their initial diagnosis of “aerotoxic syndrome”. In my second book, I aimed at simplifying and updating the complex issue. 

7. As a long-time advocate of natural health and healing, what role do you think alternative medicine can play for people who have been injured by toxic fumes exposure? Are there specific therapies or approaches you've found helpful?

It plays a major role - for the simple reason that we have to avoid contact with chemicals as much as we can. Any form of contact can trigger symptoms and make things worse. If we try to go down the medical route, by taking anything from painkillers to antibiotics, etc., we are adding more toxins to the system and the body has to start fighting on several fronts. At the same time, it is a game of trial and error, not everything works in the same way for each person. To start off with, avoidance of exposure to man-made chemicals is of the utmost importance: Personal hygiene products, household cleaning agents, and detergents. I started on a fairly simple “detox” food and supplements program – I find that some of the programs offered these days are too complicated and can be intimidating for some. A German doctor developed a therapy that washes the blood and removes or filters out certain particles – similar to dialysis for the kidneys. Others have tried hyperbaric therapies, infrared light therapy, and so on. I have listed many therapies including i.e. acupuncture as a pain treatment and herbal remedies in my books. 

8. Aerotoxic syndrome is still a poorly recognized occupational health issue. Based on your research, how prevalent do you think this problem is among aircrew and frequent flyers? What are some of the major obstacles to getting it properly acknowledged?

This can be compared with allergies and chemical sensitivity where studies show that allergies were reported by around 35% of the population participating in the research. Chemical sensitivity was reported by 33% of individuals. Simultaneous allergy and chemical sensitivity were reported by 16.9% of the population, allergy without chemical sensitivity by 16.0%, chemical sensitivity without allergy by 18.2%, and neither condition by 48.9%.

In other words: nearly 1 in 3 adults and more than 1 in 4 children have a seasonal allergy, eczema, or food allergy. Or: if you are sitting in a row of 3 seats, 1 passenger can be affected, while the others are fine, or one pilot is incapacitated and the other one is fine. This makes it fairly easy to roughly calculate how many aircrew are affected and become sensitive and allergic to chemicals, and why not everybody gets sick, which is a question that keeps coming up. The genetic make-up and immune system of each individual play a huge role in the outcome.

Major obstacles are medical staff that do not know toxicology and too many still deny the existence of “chemical sensitivity” or “multiple chemical sensitivity” and don’t know enough about allergies. Also, there still is no classification of the condition in the International Classification of Diseases, something doctors could look up. Due to that they instantly reject any form of explanation given by affected crew members. And of course, the aviation industry’s continued denial that their aircraft’s air conditioning and filtering systems are flawed and many maintenance and servicing procedures are insufficient or rushed, or even put on the backlog. 

9. Have you seen any positive changes or progress in how the airline industry or regulatory bodies are addressing the issue of toxic fumes in aircraft cabins since you started your advocacy work over 25 years ago?

Due to many reports being filed, and us constantly spreading the news, they were forced into reacting. They are alert and they know they have a problem. However, they continue to downplay the seriousness and downplay, even dismiss the health problems especially when the talk is about chronic health injuries. EASA, the European aviation authority has initiated a few studies over the years, however, the studies always come to the same conclusion. Although some contamination and a list with 127 different substances have been determined by themselves and they could no longer deny the fact, according to their scientists none of it is of any health danger to the passengers or crew. They believe that although there is detectable contamination, all levels are below the “permissible exposure limits” and thus do not pose any health dangers. Why are even “permissible levels” OK? Who determines these levels? One size fits all? Grown people, young, old, children, babies too? Sponsors of these studies include stakeholders, aircraft manufacturers, and major airlines … Independent scientists have since determined that the toxic cocktail includes over 300 detectable substances. 

10. What advice would you give to airline crew members or passengers who suspect they may have been exposed to toxic fumes during a flight? What are some key symptoms to watch out for?

If possible present at an ER or licensed medical professional within 24 hours and get blood work done. Everybody is welcome to download our medical and laboratory protocol suggestions for free and have them handy. Especially frequent flyers and aircrew should have this information in their flight kits.

Be aware if you detect any strange, pungent smells onboard, especially if it smells musty or like a stuffy unaired gym, or wet dogs, "exhaust", oily, or chemical. Symptoms during and after a flight, such as headaches, dizziness, nausea, fuzzy brain, vision problems, and confusion can hint at exposure to contaminated air. If they feel better at home when they are not working, but symptoms reappear when they are on board, is a simple but good indication that something is wrong with the aircraft they are working on. 

11. Your research interests span air quality, immune system health, naturopathic medicine, and more. Are there any new developments or emerging research in these fields that you find particularly exciting or promising?

I’d like to approach your question from another side and ask: why is there so much opposition to naturopathic medicine and herbal remedies? In the case of poisonings like ours, the main treatments and therapies that can be helpful and over time have helped many of us back to improved health, come from "Nature’s Pharmacy". Taking the proper combination of minerals, trace elements, and vitamins helps rebuild the immune system. When I was diagnosed those many years ago, by a German professor who specialized in environmental poisonings, his first advice was: to avoid all exposure to chemicals in any form. Eat organic foods, drink only water and herbal teas, and prescribe specific supplements to help the nervous system. There was more of course, but that can be found in my books - both are available in Kindle format.

12. As someone who has extensively studied the health impacts of poor cabin air quality, what do you think are some of the most urgent changes needed in aircraft design or maintenance to protect passenger and crew health?

Action is needed by decision-makers, the private sector, and other key stakeholders to address cabin air pollution. The aviation industry and the airlines themselves must be prevented from being able to exempt themselves from the regulations.

Servicing, regular cleaning, and replacement of filters must be made mandatory and subject to regular unannounced checks by independent bodies, mandatory filters in all aircraft, and mandatory calibrated gas detectors – not only by recommendations that will be ignored. Example: the United States vehicle emission standards are set through a combination of legislative mandates enacted by Congress through Clean Air Act (CAA) amendments from 1970 onwards. Why not for airplanes?
Until all of those changes are in effect, all airlines must have adequate emergency equipment including O2 in their medical kit –there are so many medical emergencies as it is without even mentioning fumes, that it is unacceptable that some don’t supply oxygen. The working crew must be allowed to use the oxygen when in need and must not be hindered from going immediately for a checkup at the nearest ER.

13. You've accomplished so much as an advocate, author, and citizen scientist. Looking back, what would you say has been the most rewarding aspect of your journey and what keeps you motivated to continue this important work?

The reward will come the day I hear that the airline industry has made the necessary changes and is offering help to its employees who have been injured by oil and toxic fume leaks from their aircraft. Until then, I will continue to be a voice - in the hope that they too will find theirs loud and clear to demand their right to a healthy environment in the workplace. Flight attendants love their jobs, perhaps more than many in other professions. Their workplace is unlike any other. They are willing to work all hours, every day and night of the year, they live out of their suitcases, their personal and social life can be difficult, they are not paid as well as many believe, and yet they love what they do. They deserve respect from their employers and a working environment that is not detrimental to their health.

14. If you could get one message across to the general public about the issue of toxic fumes on airplanes, what would it be? What should people know to protect themselves?

Everybody needs to know, that the aviation industry’s mantra following anything that looks bad for them, parts flying off, bolts missing, and cases of pan-pan or even mayday calls and emergency landings because of toxic fumes in the cockpit “the safety of our passengers and crews is paramount” is a whitewash statement The air quality which passengers and crews are exposed to in commercial aircraft has been the subject of an ongoing debate over the past 60 years, from both health and safety perspectives.

Air quality measurements in aircraft cabins as they prepare for takeoff and taxi after landing have shown elevated levels of pollutants associated with fuel combustion, such as ultrafine particles, and compared to concentrations measured during flight when these components should not contaminate the intake air.

If manufacturers had acted decades ago, without constant denial which, in the end, looks like they are lying, the problem would not exist anymore: no aircrew members or passengers would be in danger of having lifelong health issues. A suggestion has been made in the past to put a warning on tickets similar to the one on cigarette packs. Would it help? I don't think so. On the other hand, we also know how long it took to get the Tobacco industry to admit that they had lied in the face of everybody, denying that nicotine is toxic and can cause serious health problems.

My tip is, to have a high-quality emergency pollution mask in your hand luggage especially if you are a frequent flyer. Information and examples can be found on my website - there is no business association, just information. 

15. Now that you are retired from active campaigning, what are you currently focused on? And for readers who want to learn more or stay updated on the work you pioneered, where can they find you and follow your updates?

Currently, I am researching for Professor Ludwig who runs a website on which he discusses and uncovers previously unknown or unpublished information, research, issues, and stories that would not otherwise come to the light of day. This also includes our topic "Aerotoxic Syndrome" - those articles I translate for him. Until recently I was on several Social Media platforms daily updating up to 10 groups and answering questions on posts or personal messages. I am not doing that anymore, but my Substack and UNFILTERED website will stay. Everybody can subscribe for free on my Substack and download all the information they want from my website, also for free. I would be very grateful for sign-ups, follows, likes, and shares – it’s just a click, no costs involved, but it does help spread the information, which in the end helps in a small and uncomplicated way those who have been injured and those who are being a voice. So thank you, very much for sharing your space.

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