Date: 202111
Local time of day: 0601-1200
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Aircraft: A321
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Climb
Airspace: Class B ZZZ
ATC / advisory: TRACON ZZZ
Aircraft component: Air Conditioning and Pressurization Pack
Component problem: Malfunctioning
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Flight Attendant (On Duty)
Reporter qualification: Flight Attendant Current
Human factors: Communication Breakdown; Physiological - Other
Second reporter function: Flight Attendant (On Duty)
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Illness / Injury
Detector: Person Flight Crew; Person Flight Attendant
When detected: In-flight
Result: Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed; General Maintenance Action
Contributing factors: Aircraft
Primary problem: Aircraft

Narrative: Upon take-off; Captain did an all call and stated there was a strong fume smell in flight deck. He inquired if the smell was also in the cabin and a few flight attendants stated they also smelled something (Flight Attendant 1;2;3). I smelled a burning rubber/plastic smell near aft galley. Captain stated they were going to don their supplemental oxygen. After sterile [cockpit] and when flight attendants 3 and 4 came back they stated there was a musty and burning rubber smell when walking through the cabin. Fumes were now strong throughout the whole cabin and coming in waves in some areas. My eyes; throat and chest began to start burning; along with a headache. We talked with the Captain and explained the smell was still there. As we were about to prepare a few passengers and a deadheading pilot with another airline confirmed they too smelled a strong fume. Passengers in the last row asked what the smell was and stated they smelled in upon take-off. Fume events should be taken more seriously as this is a safety concern and jeopardizes the integrity of the flight. Oxygen masks should be dropped through out the entire cabin and the plane should be landed when deemed safe to do so. Pilots are told this is a traumatic event from their union and removed with pay while Flight Attendants are asked if they are continuing their next segment and left to figure it out themselves; along with sick time pulled/attendance points. A proper procedure should be in place for this type of safety/ emergency related event.


Second narrative: Aircraft X took off normally from ZZZ - ZZZ1 at XA:21. Roughly four minutes after takeoff; Captain called asking if there was a smell in the cabin; as he and the F/O (First Officer) could smell it strongly. FA (Flight Attendant) 1 and FA 2 reported a smell. FA 3 could later smell this near her 4L/R doors. FA 4 had no smell at 3L/R doors. Captain notified that they had donned their oxygen masks. FA 1; FA 2; FA 3; FA 4 continued the flight as normal per the Captain's instructions; until service when FA 3 and FA 4 noticed the odor at the 2L/R doors. FA 4 called the flight deck to confirm that an odor was present in the cabin. Captain informed us that this could [be] the result of 'moisture from going through some clouds'. Flight Deck continued use of the Oxygen masks. Passengers began to question crew on the smell of 'burning plastic' now at the rear of the aircraft. A pilot in the cabin told us that there was an 'electrical smell' in the cabin. Crew members began to feel symptoms. FA 4 was feeling a slight headache; scratchy throat; and most notably an increased heart rate and anxiety. At landing; Captain calls for a manager to meet flight. Captain and First Officer share their stories of their previous fume event(s) and strongly recommend Flight Attendants get checked out by a medical professional. Captain and First Officer are removed from their trips. Aircraft X is taken out of service to the hangar. Flight Crew leave and Flight Attendants discuss what to do as a crew of four. Flight Attendants decide to get checked out. The manager; [name]; takes Flight Attendants to ZZZ1 crew room to get a pamphlet. A driver; [name 1]; picks Flight Attendants up from the upstairs departures pickup area of ZZZ1 airport. He does not wear his mask for our trip to the airport. Who is this man; and why is he so knowledgeable on Aircraft Fume Events? Flight Attendants arrive at the Medical Center and give drivers licenses to the check in desk. Flight Attendants are confused and exhausted from this disjointed and traumatizing experience. Flight Attendants are taken back individually and given blood; blood pressure; and EKG tests; and then an Air Blood Gas [ABG] blood test. Only two have successful ABG draws - FA 1/FA 4. FA 2 is faint after the unsuccessful ABG; and nearly faints in the room. FA 1/FA 4 tend to her as the nurses seem uninterested or even knowledgeable on how to handle a faint patient. FA 2 is on the phone as this happens and he takes a photograph on his phone of the commotion. FA 1/FA 4 get blood test results. FA 4 has an extremely high blood pressure - normally at 117/79; and this result was 145/86. Flight Attendants are concerned about their well being and also having anxiety at this point over work and call tracking to be returned back on the trip for our leg tomorrow once cleared by ER doctor. Tracking informs that Flight Attendants cannot work; cannot be given a hotel; and must be flown home. Flight Attendants get to the gate to fly home and cannot check in. This is not a positive space deadhead; but a revenue standby ticket. Flight Attendants arrive home. FA 4 awoke this morning without much sleep; still with an increased heart rate.Per discussion with Captain and First Officer; synthetics utilized in the oil for APU and Engine are corroding seals and burning fumes into cabin. During the first communication on the all call inflight with the Flight Deck; I became concerned about our Captain and First Officer and told them to please keep in contact to make sure they; and all of our crew members and passengers; were not in danger. I am not a flight crew member; but I think we should have turned back to ZZZ to have the aircraft inspected.  I was very concerned about what could happen during our flight to ZZZ1 if these fumes were more noxious than expected. The Flight Attendants noticed a pilot in the cabin and made note that he could be a valuable resource if our flight deck became incapacitated. The Flight Deck was on oxygenduring our flight; while the Flight Attendants were smelling odors throughout the cabin; trying to maintain normal flight service standards; and answering questions from passengers on the odors. The Flight Deck should have come to the hospital with us. The greatest disappointment felt throughout this entire process is the dichotomy between how the Flight Deck and Flight Attendants were treated. Flight Deck was immediately removed from the rest of our pairing together; (a ZZZ1-ZZZ2 turn); and given the opportunity to seek medical assistance. The Flight Attendants were not provided guidance from the manager who met the flight - he was mostly silent and listening to our personal discussion. The Flight Attendants were placed in an uncomfortable situation and decided to seek medical assistance. [Airline name] coded our medical evaluation as a voluntary sick occurrence; during a critical period; and we may incur double the performance points regarding this issue - because of an aircraft malfunction.  We had a traumatic experience at work. This should not be a chargeable sick event; and the amount of stress and lack of formal process throughout this event is embarrassing. Why are the Flight Attendants to be punished for an aircraft malfunction; but the pilots lauded for their report and thus the aircraft was taken out of service to the hangar? The aircraft was taken out of service; Flight Crew removed from the rest of the pairing; and the Flight Attendants are to continue; without seeking medical assistance; and punished with double performance sick points over a holiday period after working so hard and now have complications without any fault of our own. We saw a doctor hours after the incident; which was way too late to get accurate readings. I have had no certain guidance or recourse on what will happen to our holiday pay incentives and we have reason to believe that we are to be punished financially and professionally due to an aircraft malfunction and circumstances completely out of our control. Per the [Pilot's] document provided to us by our Captain: 'After the Exam we strongly recommend that you carefully consider your fitness to fly after the event...You've just been through a traumatic event; been to a medical facility; and you may not be thinking straight. Do NOT let a Chief Pilot; Dispatcher; Manager; or anyone else pressure you to fly until you've had time to get your head right and make sure there are no lasting physical effects.' By contrast; the Flight Attendants are left in the dark; without guidance; and we had nothing to go by other than this bit of information magnanimously shared by our Captain. These two Flight Attendants did not have enough blood drawn to have a conclusive blood gas level result.


Synopsis: Air Carrier Flight Attendant crew reported a fume event which caused the cabin crew to experience physiological symptoms. At destination; arrival Maintenance removed aircraft from service.