Date: 201408
Local time of day: 0601-1200
Location: ZZZZ.ARTCC, FO
Light: Night
Aircraft: B757-200
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Climb; Cruise
ATC / advisory: Center ZZZZ
Aircraft component: Air Conditioning Distribution System
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Flight Attendant In Charge
Reporter qualification: Flight Attendant Current
Human factors: Situational Awareness; Fatigue; Physiological - Other; Communication Breakdown
Second reporter function: Flight Attendant (On Duty)
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Illness / Injury
Detector: Person Flight Attendant; Person Passenger
When detected: In-flight
Result: General Physical Injury / Incapacitation; General Maintenance Action
Contributing factors: Aircraft; Procedure; Human Factors
Primary problem: Aircraft

Narrative: During the climbout all aft flight attendants began to smell a stinky feet odor. After 10;000 feet they came to the forward galley and informed me of the odor/fumes. I asked the B Flight Attendant to call the Captain and inform him as I had not smelled it just yet. The Captain asked us to wait 15 minutes to see if it clears up a bit. After 15 minutes the flight attendants told me the smell has not gotten any better. I called the Captain and informed them. He asked me if anyone was sick and I informed him the flight attendants that were feeling ill and symptoms from this. When he asked me what aisle it starts at I told him I would go back to find out because I had a fresh nose that hasn't been in it. Once I hit row 25-28ish I couldn't breathe without putting my hand over my nose. It was so thick and smelled horribly; like smelly feet. I called the Captain from the aft of the aircraft to inform him and he asked me if passengers can smell it. I asked him to hold for a minute and when I bent down to see if I could smell it at the passenger level the passenger next to me asked me what the smell was. When I asked her what she smelled; she said it smelled like stinky feet. I informed the Captain and returned to the front of the aircraft. I wasn't in the aft galley for more then 5 minutes at top and I began to feel dizzy and tingly. When I informed the Captain of our illnesses and two of the flight attendants he said he was working on a fix and we will take it from there and again asked about the passenger. Whatever the Captain had done reduced the odor/fumes; but it never fully went away. When we informed the Captain of this he had told me our night was just starting and if we divert for a medical emergency we will be up with needles in our arms. He asked us after our duties were completed to rotate flight attendant from the back to the front to keep them out of the fumes/odor. Upon descent into our destination; the fumes/odor came back. On the ground an agent came on the plane and asked me about the event and showed me the ACARS report about the event. The Captain had not reported the flight attendant's illnesses due to the fumes/odor and had only report 2 flight attendants smelled it. I personally can't remember much more than that but I do remember that. During the event no flight attendant thought about asking to call the medical consultation service including me even though that is something that should have taken place when we started feeling ill. If I had followed CRM and collect my thoughts I would have thought to call Medlink. I have had zero training on fumes/odor in the cabin so I was completely unprepared and when I reached out to our Captain he wasn't much help. Better teamwork between the two work groups would have improved this situation as well as training on this type of event.


Second narrative: We were climbing out. The level off bell went off the B and C got up and walked out of the galley. They immediately came back in and said we have a problem. The odor smelled like smelly socks. We all immediately felt nausea; headaches; sore throats; extreme fatigue; [and] light headedness. The B called the Captain and informed the A. We all went up to the front galley not knowing what to do and waiting for the Captain to let us know if we were going to divert. He insisted we continue on knowing we all were sick. He said he was going to recycle the air. It never quite dissipated. He told us we should rotate in and out of First Class where the air was better. I feel our Captain had no regard for our health and didn't take us seriously about the matter. On the way home the C was so sick he was throwing up and couldn't work. Once again the Captain never called ahead to tell of the incident or have paramedics there to help the sick flight attendant. He never came to the back to check on him after we landed. He just left. I guess to catch a plane. I feel he was negligent.A seal leak that let toxic fumes in the back galley and back of the aircraft.


Synopsis: Four B757-200 flight attendants report illness during and after a flight on which a dirty socks odor was detected and reported to Captain. The flight continued and no medical attention was requested at the destination.