Cabin crew refuse to fly because of fumes

CABIN crew of a budget airline operating between Belfast and Britain are refusing to fly amid claims the planes are being contaminated by noxious fumes.

The action concerns 10 Belfast-bound Flybe flights. On one flight from Birmingham two crew collapsed after being overcome by fumes and another flight had to be aborted after the crew had to use oxygen masks.

The airline said it had taken a commercial decision to withdraw the aircraft concerned early next year. The decision followed a 15-month investigation by the BBC that revealed the fume problem onboard the 146-model planes made by British Aerospace.