RALEIGH, N.C. – Three American Airlines crew members from a flight to RDU complained of eye irritation and headaches from an odor described as flatulence, airport officials said.
At 3:34 p.m., a regularly scheduled American flight from Charlotte arrived at Raleigh-Durham International Airport.
Originally, it was reported passengers were affected by the odor, but CBS North Carolina has since learned only crew members complained about the smell after passengers deplaned.
RDU officials said EMS was called to Terminal 2 to check out the crew members who complained about the odor, but none was transported.
A RDU operations log shows at 3:34 p.m. the crew members “gave various descriptions of the smell (all indicating an individual had passed gas).”
At 4:18 p.m., a RDU representative told CBS North Carolina the “odor was described as flatulence,” according to the operations log.
American Airlines officials Sunday night said that a plane had an odor issue but denied it was because of “passed gas.”
Ross Feinstein, a spokesman for the airline, released a statement that said in part:
“We did have an aircraft from Charlotte to RDU this afternoon, that landed at 2:19 p.m. ET, and arrived the gate at 2:21 p.m. ET, that is currently out of service for an actual mechanical issue – and odor in the cabin. But it is not due to “passed gas” as mentioned.”
The flight has since returned service.
