Air Quality: The State of Standards

Purpose: This work provides an overview, from a Consumer perspective, on how the problem of Cabin Air Quality is being addressed through the development of an International Standard. The author is neither a scientist, engineer nor pilot, but has had to engage with each of those disciplines and determine how a better outcome can be achieved for ordinary airline passengers and for the air that they breathe. The paper concludes on hard-law versus soft-law and the serious issues that need to be addressed, because the issue of contaminated Cabin Air and Standards must surely be at the crossroads? ---
Methodology: The author's extensive experience in the work of Standardisation and dealing with direct Consumer contact, across two continents, has been critically examined to provide an overview and analysis of the current bene-fits for Consumers. ---
Findings: The issue of contaminated Cabin Air has developed an International "Standards" circus where politics, commercial politics and the possibility of solutions, constantly challenge the challengers. There is a difficulty in a rule-based Standards-making system that fails to adequately deploy methodology and define adequately what constitutes a consensus. This paper highlights those difficulties and raises a number of challenges that if resolved, may deliver a Standard of benefit to an Industry and the occupants of an aircraft. The alternative is a hard-law solution. ---
Research Limitations: This paper is limited to the work, view and opinions of one independent Consumer Campaigner. But, the subject matter is also limited by the scant attention paid by many European Consumer Organisations to this work. Current EU Standardisation Regulation only recognises Consumer "Establishment" Organisations. ---
Practical Implications: This paper has important methodology implications for the future of European Standardisation and the potential for its work on contaminated Cabin Air. It also raises important questions about the state and status of Aviation Regulation in the EU. ---
Social Implications: The commentary in this paper has the potential to alert the EU Consumer Organisation Industry as to the complexity of issues on contaminated Cabin Air, and the process of achieving Consumer protections either through hard-law or soft-law. It also has the potential to raise awareness amongst Consumers globally as to the nature of Cabin Air Quality. ---
Value and Originality: The originality of this paper is founded in the experience of its author, and its ability to highlight key issues that have the potential to lead to a solution to the long-standing problem of contaminated air within aircraft.