Narrative:

Right after takeoff I smelled a horrible plastic burning smell and numerous passenger rang their call lights. I made my way up the aisle; to answer questions concerning the smell. I called captain and he was already speaking with flight attendant #1 who told him that no ovens were in use. I told him that passenger had concerns and he said we were returning to departure airport. The fumes were very over powering. I had a bad headache at this point and felt a burning in my throat. I noticed an increase in fumes right before landing as well as a dirty smoggy smell. Captain called us right after landing and told us to keep him apprised of situation in case we would need to evacuate. We made it to the gate. Deplaned without incident. Although I did hear 6 passenger were sent to the hospital for fume inhalation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CABIN ATTENDANT RPTS STRONG BURNING PLASTIC SMELL RIGHT AFTER TAKEOFF. FLT RETURNS TO DEP ARPT.

Narrative: RIGHT AFTER TAKEOFF I SMELLED A HORRIBLE PLASTIC BURNING SMELL AND NUMEROUS PAX RANG THEIR CALL LIGHTS. I MADE MY WAY UP THE AISLE; TO ANSWER QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE SMELL. I CALLED CAPT AND HE WAS ALREADY SPEAKING WITH FLT ATTENDANT #1 WHO TOLD HIM THAT NO OVENS WERE IN USE. I TOLD HIM THAT PAX HAD CONCERNS AND HE SAID WE WERE RETURNING TO DEP ARPT. THE FUMES WERE VERY OVER POWERING. I HAD A BAD HEADACHE AT THIS POINT AND FELT A BURNING IN MY THROAT. I NOTICED AN INCREASE IN FUMES RIGHT BEFORE LNDG AS WELL AS A DIRTY SMOGGY SMELL. CAPT CALLED US RIGHT AFTER LNDG AND TOLD US TO KEEP HIM APPRISED OF SITUATION IN CASE WE WOULD NEED TO EVACUATE. WE MADE IT TO THE GATE. DEPLANED WITHOUT INCIDENT. ALTHOUGH I DID HEAR 6 PAX WERE SENT TO THE HOSPITAL FOR FUME INHALATION.

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.