Cabin crew left unconscious as spilt cleaning solution forces emergency landing

Two crew members were reportedly left unconscious after a spilt cleaning product forced a flight from London into an emergency landing this afternoon.

American Airlines said two crew members and one passenger were taken to hospital ‘for evaluation’ after the passenger jet, flying from Heathrow to Philadelphia, diverted to Dublin.

Passengers on board flight 729 reported feeling unwell and suffered burning eyes before taking to social media to complain about their treatment once they arrived in Ireland.

Twitter user Phillip Ott said he was in the airport after the flight had diverted, and wrote: ‘There aren’t even chairs, we’re not allowed to leave this area where we’re penned in like cattle, and we’ve not been fed by the likes of you since boarding four plus hours ago.

‘[American Airlines are] the worst.’

The airline said the incident was ‘due to an odour caused by a spilled cleaning solution in the galley’ and that passengers and crew have been provided with overnight accommodations before departing tomorrow.

Online airport webcam streaming service AirportWebcams.net published audio of what it claimed was the radio conversation between a pilot on board the Airbus A330-323 aircraft and an air traffic controller.

@AmericanAir I'm standing around with dozens of other people in Dublin's airport because our flight from Heathrow to Philadelphia was forced to land because you all failed to clean up your cleaning chemicals and people were feeling ill.
Why are you so bad at this?

— Philip Ott (@Blasphevism) October 21, 2019

@AmericanAir There aren't even chairs, we're not allowed to leave this area where we're penned in like cattle, and we've not been fed by the likes of you since boarding four plus hours ago. You're the worst. pic.twitter.com/PqnelJ2P2u

— Philip Ott (@Blasphevism) October 21, 2019

The pilot said: ‘We’ve had two of our flight crew staff – the cabin staff – have actually lost consciousness.

‘I think they’re back to consciousness now and (have) general complaints about burning eyes and other problems with mucus in the nose, skin problems.’

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He told the controller that the cleaning product was accidentally left inside the plane’s toilets at Heathrow and had seeped into the carpeting.

The pilot could be heard saying: ‘It is not a toxic substance.’

He then added later: ‘We’re going to taxi to whatever gate we can find and we require paramedics to come on board the aeroplane and render immediate assistance.’

A spokesman for American Airlines said: ‘American Airlines flight 729 from London Heathrow to Philadelphia diverted to Dublin due to an odour caused by a spilled cleaning solution in the galley.

‘The flight landed safely in Dublin at 1:15 p.m. local time, and taxied to the gate.

‘Medical personnel met the aircraft to evaluate any crew members or passengers who may need additional assistance.

‘Two crew members and one customer were taken to the hospital for evaluation. All have since been released.’