Date: 201910
Local time of day: 1801-2400
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Light: Night
Aircraft: A320
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Cruise; Descent
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Flight Attendant (On Duty)
Human factors: Physiological - Other
Anomaly: Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor
Detector: Person Flight Attendant; Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Aircraft Equipment Problem Dissipated; Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem
Contributing factors: Aircraft
Primary problem: Aircraft

Narrative: When embarking the aircraft in ZZZ1; an odor was detected by all crew members. The odor eventually dissipated. An odor was present in the cabin at or prior to descent to ZZZ. The odor can be described as a sweet vomit or less than sweet deicing fluid. I noticed the smell primarily around the Flight Attendant B jumpseat; about row 11 while walking through during final decent. I also noticed the odor during cockpit procedure; calling it a vomit smell. I mentioned it casually to the Captain and B Flight Attendant during cockpit procedure as a non-event. Further upon descent (Final descent in final brace position); the odor became stronger. The FWD interphone rang and the lead FA (Flight Attendant) answered. I was unaware of the conversation that took place until later. It was at landing where I had a headache. I did not want to draw attention to the odor I smelled or my headache. It was at this point the lead Flight Attendant told me he now smells the odor that the B Flight Attendant had called him about. I then expressed to the lead that I had smelled it and have a headache. I almost became immune to the odor. During deplaning the odor continued. The FWD 3 flight attendants; including myself; become light headed. Also during deplaning; the pilots left the aircraft without talking to the flight attendants. Flight attendants must be on board while PAX are deplaning. After the fact: This air quality event (fume event) is an event in which crews are not trained to properly act. We are not trained on the human factors; abilities; performance; impacts; senses; or how to properly converse the importance of what we smell. We are trained on CRM; however; at final descent we are trained to not interrupt the cockpit unless the safety of life or aircraft is at risk. In these circumstances it's difficult to understand between corrective action and status quo. How do we know passengers; crew; or the aircraft is at risk until an event like this becomes a teachable reaction? We are coherent with the status quo and act in such way; thus the way we are trained. The Association of Flight Attendants has sent out numerous documents informing us of these types of events and what to be aware of for our safety which as guided me to this report. I participated in the training where Flight Attendants were shown a video on air quality events. This video taught me that the airline had the events under control and that most of the reported events were 'non-events.' This is counterintuitive to the safety of the aircraft; its passengers; and its crew; creating a false sense of safety. It's almost like saying; 'I smell smoke;' without looking for a fire




Synopsis: A320 Flight Attendant reported noxious odor initially which dissipated and reappeared during descent in which entire Flight Attendant crew experienced health symptoms.