Alaska Airlines flight returns to Portland due to cabin fumes

With 157 passengers onboard, the aircraft landed back in Portland approximately 20 minutes after departure. A replacement 737-800, registered as N526AS, later completed the flight to Las Vegas, departing Portland at 13:05 and arriving at 14:50 local time.

One passenger shared their account on TikTok, citing a "concerning smell" as the reason for the return. A flight attendant was taken to the hospital, and two others required medical attention. The passenger commended Alaska Airlines for managing the situation well.

The aircraft involved later took off on a commercial flight to Santa Ana and is scheduled for other flights, including one to Hawaii.

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) explains that cabin air quality events, such as odors or fume events, occur when cabin air is contaminated. "CAQEs can be minor odor events (e.g., from galleys, lavatories, passengers or extraneous sources), or more serious when the air contamination is persistent, causes symptoms (irritant) or causes illness (noxious)," says the IATA. During serious events, flight crews are trained to be cautious, possibly resulting in turning back, diverting, or deploying oxygen masks.

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