Narrative:

Upon takeoff, the cabin filled up with fumes. I notified the captain. He told me to check the cabin and report back to him. The smell seemed to dissipate, then it came back even stronger. The odor filled the entire plane, not just in one specific area. I notified the captain and informed us that we were landing back in dfw. Upon landing, the aircraft was met by fire trucks and ambulances. After the exterior of the plane was checked, we proceeded to the jetbridge and deplaned the passenger. I believe this emergency was handled very professionally and effectively. The only thing that I questioned was the agents' (who met the aircraft) reluctance to get the passenger off the aircraft immediately. The captain, as well as other officials, believed we should get them off. The agents hesitated and wanted to avoid taking the passenger off. It seemed to me, that they did not want the 'hassle.' to me, the most important thing was to take care of and accommodate our passenger. Having spent 20-30 mins breathing toxic fumes, I say 'get them off.' the agents did not consider this. Supplemental information from acn 445159: 70 mi northeast of dfw at FL235 we returned due to fumes reported in the cabin by the flight attendants. Submitting a detailed report of the diversion, maintenance determined the hydraulic xfer pump failed and sprayed hydraulic fluid on one of the packs causing the fumes.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MULTIPLE PLT AND FLT ATTENDANT RPT, S80, DFW-ORD, AFTER TKOF, CABIN SMOKE AND FUMES, RETURN TO DFW. FLT CANCELED.

Narrative: UPON TKOF, THE CABIN FILLED UP WITH FUMES. I NOTIFIED THE CAPT. HE TOLD ME TO CHK THE CABIN AND RPT BACK TO HIM. THE SMELL SEEMED TO DISSIPATE, THEN IT CAME BACK EVEN STRONGER. THE ODOR FILLED THE ENTIRE PLANE, NOT JUST IN ONE SPECIFIC AREA. I NOTIFIED THE CAPT AND INFORMED US THAT WE WERE LNDG BACK IN DFW. UPON LNDG, THE ACFT WAS MET BY FIRE TRUCKS AND AMBULANCES. AFTER THE EXTERIOR OF THE PLANE WAS CHKED, WE PROCEEDED TO THE JETBRIDGE AND DEPLANED THE PAX. I BELIEVE THIS EMER WAS HANDLED VERY PROFESSIONALLY AND EFFECTIVELY. THE ONLY THING THAT I QUESTIONED WAS THE AGENTS' (WHO MET THE ACFT) RELUCTANCE TO GET THE PAX OFF THE ACFT IMMEDIATELY. THE CAPT, AS WELL AS OTHER OFFICIALS, BELIEVED WE SHOULD GET THEM OFF. THE AGENTS HESITATED AND WANTED TO AVOID TAKING THE PAX OFF. IT SEEMED TO ME, THAT THEY DID NOT WANT THE 'HASSLE.' TO ME, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WAS TO TAKE CARE OF AND ACCOMMODATE OUR PAX. HAVING SPENT 20-30 MINS BREATHING TOXIC FUMES, I SAY 'GET THEM OFF.' THE AGENTS DID NOT CONSIDER THIS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 445159: 70 MI NE OF DFW AT FL235 WE RETURNED DUE TO FUMES RPTED IN THE CABIN BY THE FLT ATTENDANTS. SUBMITTING A DETAILED RPT OF THE DIVERSION, MAINT DETERMINED THE HYD XFER PUMP FAILED AND SPRAYED HYD FLUID ON ONE OF THE PACKS CAUSING THE FUMES.

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.