5 Hospitalized After Fumes Fill Cockpit and Cabin of American Airlines Flight

An American Airlines flight was forced to divert after crews reported “fumes” in the flight deck and cabin. After landing, five people were brought to the hospital.

American Airlines flight 2118 departed Orlando International Airport on Sunday, Nov. 23 at 6:09 p.m. local time, according to FlightAware. The Airbus A321, heading to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, was scheduled to land about three-and-a-half hours later. However, crews made the decision to divert to Houston just under two hours into the flight. 

According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), crews diverted after they “reported fumes in the flight deck and cabin.” 

“Aircraft alert,” a pilot tells an air traffic controller in an audio recording obtained by local outlet KHOU 11. “I’m gonna need probably four transport units.”

After landing safely in Houston, four flight attendants and one passenger were transported to the hospital out of an abundance of caution, the airline told the Texas outlet.

In a separate statement shared with PEOPLE, a spokesperson confirmed flight 2118 “landed safely and taxied to the gate under its own power at Houston following reports of an odor on board.”

Passengers later re-boarded on another aircraft and departed towards their final destination.

“We thank our team members for their professionalism and apologize to our customers for their experience,” an American Airlines spokesperson said.

The type or origin of the fumes in this incident were not confirmed.

In a Sept. 4 post from the FAA, the department stated that studies have shown aircraft cabin air is “as good as or better than the air found in offices and homes.” However, in rare instances, “mechanical issues such as failures of an engine oil seal or recirculation fan bearing can cause fumes to enter the cabin.”

A recent analysis by The Wall Street Journal found plane passengers and crew members are getting sickened by toxic fumes at an alarming rate. Using more than one million FAA and National Aeronautics and Space Administration reports, thousands of documents and more than 100 interviews, the outlet found that long-term exposure to such fumes can lead to serious health issues. 

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Neurologist Robert Kaniecki, who’s treated dozens of pilots and over 100 flight attendants in the last 20 years for brain injuries related to fume exposures, told the WSJ the symptoms compare to a chemical concussion and the effects are are “extraordinarily similar” to those experienced by NFL linebackers after taking a big hit.