Narrative:

After takeoff, about 20 mins into the flight, we noticed a strange smell in the cabin. Flight attendant #2 notified the cockpit and then the first officer came back to investigate. We checked the ovens and lavatories for any sign of smoke or fire and didn't find anything. We continued with our service for about 10 mins but the smell got worse. We then started to open all the overhead bins and question the passenger asking if they had brought anything on board that could cause the smell. At that point a woman came out of the lavatory and said that she was carrying ether and it had broken in her bag. We contained it in the lavatory and locked it and immediately notified the cockpit. About 1/2 hour later, the cockpit notified us that we would be diverting to ict where we would be met by a hazmat team to remove the ether from the aircraft. As a precaution we verbally briefed all passenger on their closest exits and prepared for landing. Once on the ground the fire department and airport officials removed all passenger from the aircraft and then brought them to the hangar. They then removed the ether. After about 15 mins, we were advised that it was safe to continue and then reboarded all the passenger and continued on to ord. Supplemental information from acn 419497: later, passenger told authorities she had purchased it in mex at a pharmacy and it was ether to be used as a 'rubbing compound.' we double wrapped it in plastic and put it in the lavatory sink. I wet a blanket and laid it over it and locked the door.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT ATTENDANT RPT REGARDING AN ODOR IN THE CABIN LATER DETECTED AS ETHER LEAK FROM A BOTTLE WHICH HAD BROKEN. THIS HAD BEEN CARRIED ABOARD BY A PAX. ACFT DIVERTED.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF, ABOUT 20 MINS INTO THE FLT, WE NOTICED A STRANGE SMELL IN THE CABIN. FLT ATTENDANT #2 NOTIFIED THE COCKPIT AND THEN THE FO CAME BACK TO INVESTIGATE. WE CHKED THE OVENS AND LAVATORIES FOR ANY SIGN OF SMOKE OR FIRE AND DIDN'T FIND ANYTHING. WE CONTINUED WITH OUR SVC FOR ABOUT 10 MINS BUT THE SMELL GOT WORSE. WE THEN STARTED TO OPEN ALL THE OVERHEAD BINS AND QUESTION THE PAX ASKING IF THEY HAD BROUGHT ANYTHING ON BOARD THAT COULD CAUSE THE SMELL. AT THAT POINT A WOMAN CAME OUT OF THE LAVATORY AND SAID THAT SHE WAS CARRYING ETHER AND IT HAD BROKEN IN HER BAG. WE CONTAINED IT IN THE LAVATORY AND LOCKED IT AND IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED THE COCKPIT. ABOUT 1/2 HR LATER, THE COCKPIT NOTIFIED US THAT WE WOULD BE DIVERTING TO ICT WHERE WE WOULD BE MET BY A HAZMAT TEAM TO REMOVE THE ETHER FROM THE ACFT. AS A PRECAUTION WE VERBALLY BRIEFED ALL PAX ON THEIR CLOSEST EXITS AND PREPARED FOR LNDG. ONCE ON THE GND THE FIRE DEPT AND ARPT OFFICIALS REMOVED ALL PAX FROM THE ACFT AND THEN BROUGHT THEM TO THE HANGAR. THEY THEN REMOVED THE ETHER. AFTER ABOUT 15 MINS, WE WERE ADVISED THAT IT WAS SAFE TO CONTINUE AND THEN REBOARDED ALL THE PAX AND CONTINUED ON TO ORD. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 419497: LATER, PAX TOLD AUTHORITIES SHE HAD PURCHASED IT IN MEX AT A PHARMACY AND IT WAS ETHER TO BE USED AS A 'RUBBING COMPOUND.' WE DOUBLE WRAPPED IT IN PLASTIC AND PUT IT IN THE LAVATORY SINK. I WET A BLANKET AND LAID IT OVER IT AND LOCKED THE DOOR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.