AN EMERGENCY was declared when passengers on board a flight from Dublin two years ago fell asleep during takeoff and cabin crew members began to feel unwell.
Investigators from the Department of Transport were unable to determine what caused the adverse symptoms of crew and passengers on board the GermanWings flight to Cologne.
A report published yesterday by the department’s air accident investigation unit, however, was critical of Dublin airport’s response to the emergency on the ground. It said there was no doctor on site after the event, and recommended that the Dublin Airport Authority review its provision of medical services.
The Airbus A319-132 was operated by GermanWings, a low-cost airline based in Cologne and owned by Lufthansa. It departed at 11.33am on May 27th, 2008. As the aircraft climbed towards cruising altitude, the chief flight attendant reported to the captain that another crew member was feeling unwell and that many of the 119 passengers had fallen asleep noticeably quickly following take-off.
The captain, himself feeling drowsy and noticing a tingling in his right arm, ordered crew to don oxygen masks and declared an emergency. As soon as the crew began to breathe through their masks, their symptoms disappeared.
The captain told Manchester air traffic control that he had to return to Dublin immediately and issued a Mayday call to Dublin air traffic control.
The aircraft landed normally in Dublin at 11.57am without further incident and was met on the runway by gardaí and emergency services. It was held for an hour, at which point passengers were allowed to disembark. None required medical attention.
The investigation unit carried out intensive testing of air quality, equipment, instruments and baggage. Loss of pressure, roster-induced fatigue and meteorological conditions were all discounted as possible factors in the incident.
The investigation was “unable to find any evidence of contamination of the aircraft air supply or . . . evidence of a restricted, poor quality or inadequate air supply to the cockpit or cabin”.