Cabin Air Safety Act introduced to combat toxic fumes on airplanes

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A U.S. senator from Connecticut introduced a bill to protect flight crews and passengers after a Channel 9 investigation exposed toxic fumes seeping onto planes.

In May, Channel 9 reported that there were 11 toxic fume incidents on flights to and from Charlotte-Douglas International Airport over the past few years.

[RELATED: 9 Investigates toxic air on board passenger jets]

The Allied Pilots Association said there have been 20,000 toxic fume incidents over the past 10 years.

Those fumes can make passengers and the flight crew sick.

“I’d like to thank (WSOC) for covering this. Now we have legislation before us, and heightened crew awareness,” APA member Dennis Tajer said.

The new bill called the Cabin Air Safety Act would require airlines to train employees to identify toxic fumes.

It will require the FAA to write reports and do follow-up investigations.

It also mandates planes have carbon monoxide sensors.

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