WGN investigates the Boeing Papers: How safe is the air up there?

Actually, except for a very few aircraft, bleed air is used for many things including pressurization. Only the air is cooled, cleaned and filtered prior to entering the cabin. When a failure happens, in most cases the pilot can isolate the problem and continue or turn around. Crew training demands that if anyone smells or feels unwell, don't just stand there and do nothing, immediately call the in charge or the cockpit and communicate your thoughts. Especially if your headache came on suddenly, get on your crew 02 bottle and take a few whiffs, it could save you and the plane. Most noxious fumes come from after deicing as the plane pressurizes, but clears up quickly.

For those that don't know WGN is a major tv and radio network in Chicago. It is the flagship station Tribune Broadcasting and a subsidiary of Tribune Media, which also owns radio station WGN and local cable news channel.

The fact that Boeing knew of this problem for so many decades, it just shocks me. It is obvious that the "bean counters" at the company decided to not fix the problem and took a chance the traveling public never got sick or worse died. And, Airbus has a similar problem, one that I can hope they will solve.