Lisbon, Sept. 16, 2026 (Lusa) - Four international aviation organisations have set up the AerSalus Alliance to coordinate responses to risks associated with air quality in aircraft cabins, the coalition announced on Wednesday.
The partnership brings together unions representing pilots and cabin crew, as well as medical, legal and engineering experts, to «exchange specialist knowledge in areas such as operational experience, aerospace medicine, toxicology, aeronautical engineering and maintenance, to advance the industry's understanding» of air quality, the organisation explains in a statement.
The alliance, whose name is a Latin allusion to «Safe Air», was founded in June 2026 and «was formalised with the signing of the ‘Lisbon Declaration on cooperation regarding aircraft and cabin air quality'», the organisation states.
The alliance brings together four organisations: the National Union of Aeronauts (SNA) of Brazil, the French Association of Victims of Aerotoxic Syndrome (AVSA) and two Portuguese trade unions, the Civil Aviation Pilots' Union (SPAC) and the National Union of Civil Aviation Flight Crew (SNPVAC).
The organisation emphasises that «the technical and medical complexity of cabin air quality requires a multidisciplinary approach and coordinated efforts worldwide», given that «air quality in aircraft cabins is a critical issue that directly impacts operational safety, the occupational health of crew members and the protection of passengers».
With the formation of this coalition, the signatories commit to jointly addressing incidents of air contamination – including those involving odours, smoke, vapours and aerosols – with a new standard of mutual support, technical accountability and scientific transparency.
The alliance aims to «establish a permanent channel for sharing operational experiences, academic studies, scientific references and best practices», to promote «laboratory tests and toxicological analyses to identify chemical exposures and assess potential health impacts», to encourage «the improved use of standardised protocols for reporting, monitoring and analysing air quality incidents» and «advocate for enhanced maintenance and medical response procedures».
Another objective is to «join forces to raise awareness amongst regulatory authorities, manufacturers and airline operators regarding the need to improve detection and monitoring tools».
The alliance says it is «joining forces with various institutions in Portugal and France to enable numerous affected crew members worldwide, with a validated medical history of multiple exposures and long-term symptoms consistent with Aerotoxic Syndrome, to be diagnosed by medical, forensic and nanoscience specialists».
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