Airline Crew Member Rushed to Hospital After ‘Unusual Odor’ in Cabin

A British Airways flight from the Dominican Republic to the United Kingdom sparked alarm after a flight attendant was taken to the hospital upon landing amid concerns she may have inhaled toxic fumes during the journey.

The incident unfolded after the aircraft touched down at Gatwick Airport on Thursday morning. According to reports, multiple people onboard the overnight flight said they felt unwell during the trip, though only one crew member required medical attention.

Passengers on Flight BA2204, which departed Punta Cana at around 8:30 p.m. local time Tuesday and landed in London just before 8 a.m., reported noticing a strong, unpleasant odor toward the back of the Boeing 777-200 shortly after takeoff. Several crew members reportedly felt sick for much of the seven-and-a-half-hour flight.

One female flight attendant became so nauseous and dizzy that she was transported to a nearby hospital “as a precaution” after the plane landed.

“It was the talk of the plane,” one source said. “The issue seemed to be coming from the back of the cabin. A few people felt ill, but one stewardess was hit particularly hard and needed to be checked out at the hospital. There were real concerns it could be carbon monoxide or toxic fumes.”

Engineers inspected the aircraft after it arrived at Gatwick.

Carbon monoxide and other fumes can sometimes enter aircraft cabins through issues with exhaust systems or cabin air supply, though airlines maintain that planes are not flown if they pose a safety risk to passengers or crew.

British Airways confirmed the incident in a statement, saying a crew member was hospitalized as a precaution after becoming unwell onboard and that the airline is investigating what happened.

“The health and wellbeing of our customers and crew is our top priority,” the airline said.

The scare adds to long-standing concerns raised by aviation safety advocates about so-called “toxic fume events” on commercial flights. Campaigners have pushed for more rigorous investigations, citing dozens of reported incidents over the years involving crew members and passengers feeling ill mid-flight.

In recent years, several high-profile cases have drawn attention to the issue, including flights that were forced to return to the airport after fumes filled the cabin, passengers and crew becoming sick at cruising altitude, and pilots requiring medical treatment after suspected smoke or fume exposure.

While most passengers on the Gatwick-bound flight did not need treatment, the incident left many shaken.