Has the BBC censored “Aerotoxic Syndrome”?
In 2008, the BBC made a Panorama programme about contaminated air in airliners called Something In The Air? However what should have been a balanced look at the issue turned out to be somewhat biased.
When asked by the BBC if he thought any aircraft accidents had occurred as a result of pilots breathing in toxic engine fumes, Jim McAuslan, the General Secretary of BALPA , denied this had ever happened. The question is how does he know?
He must know that several BALPA pilot members have stopped flying because they felt unable to do their jobs safely any longer – many of them suffering from organophosphate poisoning. So how can he be sure that pilots haven’t been taken ill mid flight and lost control of the plane?
But hang on a minute maybe the BBC could have used an earlier quote from Mr McAuslan. In 2005 at a BALPA international conference he said:
“Is there a problem? The answer is quite clear – Yes, story after story, study after study, testimony after testimony from across the world and from other industries with similar exposures, show that chemicals exposures of the type experienced by workers in the aviation industry cause health problems.”
Well he’s certainly changed his tune and the BBC has developed a case of selective hearing. Maybe they could have persued this line of enquiry a little more effectively.
Also, they didn’t use the term “aerotoxic syndrome” once – despite the fact it’s been around for a good 10 years.
Tags: aerotoxic syndrome, BALPA, BBC, Panorama
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