Delta Fixes 300+ Airbus Jets Over Cabin Fume Fears

Delta Air Lines DAL is making a major fix to its fleet. The carrier is replacing engine units on more than 300 Airbus A320s after reports of toxic fumes seeping into cabin air, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The problem centers on auxiliary power units, or APUs, which provide electricity and pump air when a plane's main engines aren't runninglike during boarding, taxiing, or while parked at the gate. When oil leaks past worn seals and burns at high heat inside the APU, it can release harmful fumes into the aircraft's ventilation system.

Delta says fume events are rare but serious, and it quietly began swapping out the APUs in 2022. The airline operates 310 A320s, all equipped with units built by Honeywell HON and RTX's RTX Pratt & Whitney. Airbus, meanwhile, says it's working with regulators and carriers to make sure cabins remain safe.

The push comes after a WSJ investigation found these incidents have become more frequent across the A320 family, with passengers and crew reporting symptoms from nausea to lasting neurological issues.