Narrative:

MEL-APU inoperative related to air valve. Used 'huffer' air cart reportedly borrowed from air carrier Y to start. First attempt was aborted prior to moving fuel lever to on; due to low stabilized N2 RPM (18%). Maintenance/ground operations got a second huffer which resulted in normal start. Operated pack from first huffer for a couple mins after first start attempt while waiting for the second huffer. During cruise flight at FL340 at XA35; approximately 130 mi south of ZZZ we got a call on the interphone from cabin attendant Y that all 3 flight attendants were feeling ill/light headed. I advised them to discontinue service; get on oxygen; and situation down. They advised they were almost finished anyway; and I advised them to discontinue anyway. Noted cabin altitude 6600 ft. Got a second call a few mins later from cabin attendant Y that 'cabin attendant Z is down.' told them to get her on oxygen and advise. We initiated descent with ATC to FL300 and started connection with company via ZZZ operations. Divided work with first officer flying and handling ATC and me handling company and interphone. Third call was to report that cabin attendant Z was responding to oxygen and that they had the aid of a doctor. (Debrief revealed it was a nurse. Did not report to me on deplaning; might have debriefed with paramedics.) a while after the third call; cabin attendant Z called to assure us that she was better. One communication from flight attendants (can't remember which call) included declaration that some passenger were feeling ill too. Report was in the area of the beverage cart at the time (close to emergency exit). Debrief indicated they thought it was seat B; C; and D. In debrief next day; cabin attendant reported that 1 passenger that reported illness had just gone to lavatory. Flight attendants enlisted help of 2 jumpseating air carrier Z pilots in the back. Air carrier Z captain and first officer essentially took over all the flight attendant duties to pick up the cabin and secure the galleys during the rest of the flight. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the MD80 at times can have air quality problems that are not traceable to any one source. In this incident 2 pneumatic air carts were used for engine start and could have been the source of some fumes. The cabin attendants did not display any illness or light headedness until FL340 while involved in cabin service but they were moving around working. Both packs were operating normally and no odor or fumes were reported.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 AT FL340 EXPERIENCED AN AIR QUALITY INCIDENT THAT REQUIRED 3 CABIN ATTENDANTS TO BE GIVEN EMER OXYGEN. FLT DSNDED TO FL300.

Narrative: MEL-APU INOP RELATED TO AIR VALVE. USED 'HUFFER' AIR CART REPORTEDLY BORROWED FROM ACR Y TO START. FIRST ATTEMPT WAS ABORTED PRIOR TO MOVING FUEL LEVER TO ON; DUE TO LOW STABILIZED N2 RPM (18%). MAINT/GND OPS GOT A SECOND HUFFER WHICH RESULTED IN NORMAL START. OPERATED PACK FROM FIRST HUFFER FOR A COUPLE MINS AFTER FIRST START ATTEMPT WHILE WAITING FOR THE SECOND HUFFER. DURING CRUISE FLT AT FL340 AT XA35; APPROX 130 MI S OF ZZZ WE GOT A CALL ON THE INTERPHONE FROM CABIN ATTENDANT Y THAT ALL 3 FLT ATTENDANTS WERE FEELING ILL/LIGHT HEADED. I ADVISED THEM TO DISCONTINUE SVC; GET ON OXYGEN; AND SIT DOWN. THEY ADVISED THEY WERE ALMOST FINISHED ANYWAY; AND I ADVISED THEM TO DISCONTINUE ANYWAY. NOTED CABIN ALT 6600 FT. GOT A SECOND CALL A FEW MINS LATER FROM CABIN ATTENDANT Y THAT 'CABIN ATTENDANT Z IS DOWN.' TOLD THEM TO GET HER ON OXYGEN AND ADVISE. WE INITIATED DSCNT WITH ATC TO FL300 AND STARTED CONNECTION WITH COMPANY VIA ZZZ OPS. DIVIDED WORK WITH FO FLYING AND HANDLING ATC AND ME HANDLING COMPANY AND INTERPHONE. THIRD CALL WAS TO RPT THAT CABIN ATTENDANT Z WAS RESPONDING TO OXYGEN AND THAT THEY HAD THE AID OF A DOCTOR. (DEBRIEF REVEALED IT WAS A NURSE. DID NOT RPT TO ME ON DEPLANING; MIGHT HAVE DEBRIEFED WITH PARAMEDICS.) A WHILE AFTER THE THIRD CALL; CABIN ATTENDANT Z CALLED TO ASSURE US THAT SHE WAS BETTER. ONE COM FROM FLT ATTENDANTS (CAN'T REMEMBER WHICH CALL) INCLUDED DECLARATION THAT SOME PAX WERE FEELING ILL TOO. RPT WAS IN THE AREA OF THE BEVERAGE CART AT THE TIME (CLOSE TO EMER EXIT). DEBRIEF INDICATED THEY THOUGHT IT WAS SEAT B; C; AND D. IN DEBRIEF NEXT DAY; CABIN ATTENDANT RPTED THAT 1 PAX THAT RPTED ILLNESS HAD JUST GONE TO LAVATORY. FLT ATTENDANTS ENLISTED HELP OF 2 JUMPSEATING ACR Z PLTS IN THE BACK. ACR Z CAPT AND FO ESSENTIALLY TOOK OVER ALL THE FLT ATTENDANT DUTIES TO PICK UP THE CABIN AND SECURE THE GALLEYS DURING THE REST OF THE FLT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE MD80 AT TIMES CAN HAVE AIR QUALITY PROBS THAT ARE NOT TRACEABLE TO ANY ONE SOURCE. IN THIS INCIDENT 2 PNEUMATIC AIR CARTS WERE USED FOR ENG START AND COULD HAVE BEEN THE SOURCE OF SOME FUMES. THE CABIN ATTENDANTS DID NOT DISPLAY ANY ILLNESS OR LIGHT HEADEDNESS UNTIL FL340 WHILE INVOLVED IN CABIN SVC BUT THEY WERE MOVING AROUND WORKING. BOTH PACKS WERE OPERATING NORMALLY AND NO ODOR OR FUMES WERE RPTED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.