Narrative:

Approximately one hour into the flight we received a call from flight attendant complaining that the temperature was uncomfortable in the cabin area. The cabin temperature gauges were reading about 73 degrees. We reduce the temperature setting in the aft cabin. Approximately one hour later we received another call from the same flight attendant stating that it was still very hot and that he and flight attendant's were suffering from dizziness. We further reduced the temperature throughout the cabin and turned off the right recirc fan to increase the flow of fresh air to the cabin. Meanwhile; I had a conversation with flight attendant about the condition in the cabin. He stated he was fine and that it had been warm; but it was cooling off. At this time I requested that the purser come to the cockpit to discuss the situation. I was told she was in the back and would come up when she returned. After some delay; I again called and was told she just went to the back again. I said I needed to talk to her right away. When she arrived; I questioned her about the conditions of the two flight attendants; the passenger; the cabin and her own physical condition. She said the two flight attendant's were complaining of dizziness; the cabin and passenger seemed fine and that she thought that her vision had been momentarily bleary; but that she was alright. I told her to keep a close watch on the situation and to notify me immediately if any passenger started complaining or things worsened in any way. At that point; the first officer left the cockpit for a break. When he returned he said that he had talked to the two flight attendant's about their condition. He said it was cool in the cabin and he did not detect any abnormalities. About two hours later we received another call from the back. Flight attendant said that they now smelled a burning smell in the aft of the cabin. I sent the first officer back and when he returned he said the odor smelled like 'melting plastic.' at this time ZZZ was 140 miles in front of us and we coordinated with dispatch to divert there. We declared an emergency with ATC due to our overweight condition and due to the uncertain status of our aircraft. A normal touchdown and rollout was performed on runway and the aircraft was brought to a stop on the parallel taxiway where fire equipment was waiting. The aircraft was scanned and reported free of any abnormal hot spots. We taxied to the gate. While unloading; a gentleman; who had been sitting in row xx; produced a pillow that he said was resting against the window and sidewall at his seat. He said the pillow had gotten very hot and had the smell of 'burning plastic' on it. He also stated that his wife touched the window shade and that it was so hot 'it blistered her finger.' after the flight; I was told by flight attendant that she too had suffered from dizziness. She also said she had a chronic sinus condition the causes dizziness; but that it seemed worse this time. All flight attendant's seemed to recover from any ill effects while waiting in terminal following de-boarding. They declined to seek medical treatment.supplemental information from acn 816481: shortly after take-off I called the cockpit to request that they cool off the cabin which was very hot. The #5 had previously called to request same. Stated the main cabin service at XA00. We me and the #4 noticed the area by row X was very hot and stuffy. By row yx it was very hot; and the #4 and I were also very dizzy. We thought we may be making a sharp turn. I called the cockpit and the captain told me that we should be freezing because the temperature indicator showed 72 degrees. I told him it felt like 95 in the cabin. I also told him that me and the #4 were dizzy. The #1 walked to the back to see if she felt anything. She checked on the 4 who was very hot and dizzy. 1 reports that she felt hot and dizzy on the way back to flight crew and especially around the window exits. 1 called cockpit and reiterated our symptoms to captain. 1 went in cockpit and first officer walked to back. First officer said he couldn't feel anything; but it would take more than him being there for 5 mins to feel symptoms. He told me and 4 that if it were him he would land the plane right now in ZZZ; but basically the captain and flight attendants feeling hot and dizzy were not reason enough for him to land the airplane; so his hands were tied and to keep them informed. #1 told me that the captain had the emergency checklist out. When first officer returned to cockpit he told the captain that he felt they should land the plane with 4 out of 5 flight attendants feeling dizzy and cabin unable to cool off. 1 reported that captain just shook his head and said he needed more 'evidence.' I told him that I knew something was wrong with that plane; and the heat and dizziness had to be related. There was almost no airflow in the aft galley from the air vents and the 4 complained of feeling short of breath. When she got to row xx; she asked; 'is something burning?' I called 1 and she came back aft; smelled the same smell; and went up front and called the captain. She went in cockpit; and the first officer came back out for the second time. By this time passenger were asking if the plane was on fire. The first officer smelled the burning and said; 'that's it; we're landing this plane now; probably in ZZZ1.' he went back up and we went into a nose dive to get on the ground. The passenger in xx told me and 4 that she had noticed the smell on and off for an hour before; but just thought it was something in the galley so she said nothing. The passenger in xy told #4 that she touched the sidewall and it was so hot she got burned and had a blister. Her husband in xz had been resting with a neck pillow against the sidewall and the pillow got so hot and smelled like it was burned. The 4 smelled it and said it smelled really bad. Also; xxab said they started feeling dizzy 45 mins into the flight on and off for the last 4 hours but thought it was due to coming off a cruise. At my jumpseat; passenger in xef told me they smelled 'something strange.' we landed and the fire trucks were there. We taxied to the gate eventually and the mechanics said the plane was not an 'easy fix' and to deplane the passenger.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 FLIGHT CREW ELECTS TO DIVERT AFTER A BURNING PLASTIC SMELL IS DETECTED IN THE CABIN. AFTER THE FLIGHT A PASSENGER PRODUCES A PILLOW WITH THE BURNED PLASTIC SMELL; THAT WAS UP AGAINST THE SIDE WALL AND WINDOW AT ROW 35. WINDOW SHADE IS REPORTED VERY HOT.

Narrative: APPROX ONE HOUR INTO THE FLT WE RECEIVED A CALL FROM FLT ATTENDANT COMPLAINING THAT THE TEMPERATURE WAS UNCOMFORTABLE IN THE CABIN AREA. THE CABIN TEMP GAUGES WERE READING ABOUT 73 DEGS. WE REDUCE THE TEMP SETTING IN THE AFT CABIN. APPROX ONE HOUR LATER WE RECEIVED ANOTHER CALL FROM THE SAME FLT ATTENDANT STATING THAT IT WAS STILL VERY HOT AND THAT HE AND FLT ATTENDANT'S WERE SUFFERING FROM DIZZINESS. WE FURTHER REDUCED THE TEMP THROUGHOUT THE CABIN AND TURNED OFF THE R RECIRC FAN TO INCREASE THE FLOW OF FRESH AIR TO THE CABIN. MEANWHILE; I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH FLT ATTENDANT ABOUT THE CONDITION IN THE CABIN. HE STATED HE WAS FINE AND THAT IT HAD BEEN WARM; BUT IT WAS COOLING OFF. AT THIS TIME I REQUESTED THAT THE PURSER COME TO THE COCKPIT TO DISCUSS THE SITUATION. I WAS TOLD SHE WAS IN THE BACK AND WOULD COME UP WHEN SHE RETURNED. AFTER SOME DELAY; I AGAIN CALLED AND WAS TOLD SHE JUST WENT TO THE BACK AGAIN. I SAID I NEEDED TO TALK TO HER RIGHT AWAY. WHEN SHE ARRIVED; I QUESTIONED HER ABOUT THE CONDITIONS OF THE TWO FLT ATTENDANTS; THE PAX; THE CABIN AND HER OWN PHYSICAL CONDITION. SHE SAID THE TWO FLT ATTENDANT'S WERE COMPLAINING OF DIZZINESS; THE CABIN AND PAX SEEMED FINE AND THAT SHE THOUGHT THAT HER VISION HAD BEEN MOMENTARILY BLEARY; BUT THAT SHE WAS ALRIGHT. I TOLD HER TO KEEP A CLOSE WATCH ON THE SITUATION AND TO NOTIFY ME IMMEDIATELY IF ANY PAX STARTED COMPLAINING OR THINGS WORSENED IN ANY WAY. AT THAT POINT; THE FO LEFT THE COCKPIT FOR A BREAK. WHEN HE RETURNED HE SAID THAT HE HAD TALKED TO THE TWO FLT ATTENDANT'S ABOUT THEIR CONDITION. HE SAID IT WAS COOL IN THE CABIN AND HE DID NOT DETECT ANY ABNORMALITIES. ABOUT TWO HOURS LATER WE RECEIVED ANOTHER CALL FROM THE BACK. FLT ATTENDANT SAID THAT THEY NOW SMELLED A BURNING SMELL IN THE AFT OF THE CABIN. I SENT THE FO BACK AND WHEN HE RETURNED HE SAID THE ODOR SMELLED LIKE 'MELTING PLASTIC.' AT THIS TIME ZZZ WAS 140 MILES IN FRONT OF US AND WE COORDINATED WITH DISPATCH TO DIVERT THERE. WE DECLARED AN EMER WITH ATC DUE TO OUR OVERWEIGHT CONDITION AND DUE TO THE UNCERTAIN STATUS OF OUR ACFT. A NORMAL TOUCHDOWN AND ROLLOUT WAS PERFORMED ON RWY AND THE ACFT WAS BROUGHT TO A STOP ON THE PARALLEL TXWY WHERE FIRE EQUIPMENT WAS WAITING. THE ACFT WAS SCANNED AND REPORTED FREE OF ANY ABNORMAL HOT SPOTS. WE TAXIED TO THE GATE. WHILE UNLOADING; A GENTLEMAN; WHO HAD BEEN SITTING IN ROW XX; PRODUCED A PILLOW THAT HE SAID WAS RESTING AGAINST THE WINDOW AND SIDEWALL AT HIS SEAT. HE SAID THE PILLOW HAD GOTTEN VERY HOT AND HAD THE SMELL OF 'BURNING PLASTIC' ON IT. HE ALSO STATED THAT HIS WIFE TOUCHED THE WINDOW SHADE AND THAT IT WAS SO HOT 'IT BLISTERED HER FINGER.' AFTER THE FLIGHT; I WAS TOLD BY FLT ATTENDANT THAT SHE TOO HAD SUFFERED FROM DIZZINESS. SHE ALSO SAID SHE HAD A CHRONIC SINUS CONDITION THE CAUSES DIZZINESS; BUT THAT IT SEEMED WORSE THIS TIME. ALL FLT ATTENDANT'S SEEMED TO RECOVER FROM ANY ILL EFFECTS WHILE WAITING IN TERMINAL FOLLOWING DE-BOARDING. THEY DECLINED TO SEEK MEDICAL TREATMENT.SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 816481: SHORTLY AFTER TAKE-OFF I CALLED THE COCKPIT TO REQUEST THAT THEY COOL OFF THE CABIN WHICH WAS VERY HOT. THE #5 HAD PREVIOUSLY CALLED TO REQUEST SAME. STATED THE MAIN CABIN SERVICE AT XA00. WE ME AND THE #4 NOTICED THE AREA BY ROW X WAS VERY HOT AND STUFFY. BY ROW YX IT WAS VERY HOT; AND THE #4 AND I WERE ALSO VERY DIZZY. WE THOUGHT WE MAY BE MAKING A SHARP TURN. I CALLED THE COCKPIT AND THE CAPT TOLD ME THAT WE SHOULD BE FREEZING BECAUSE THE TEMP INDICATOR SHOWED 72 DEGS. I TOLD HIM IT FELT LIKE 95 IN THE CABIN. I ALSO TOLD HIM THAT ME AND THE #4 WERE DIZZY. THE #1 WALKED TO THE BACK TO SEE IF SHE FELT ANYTHING. SHE CHECKED ON THE 4 WHO WAS VERY HOT AND DIZZY. 1 REPORTS THAT SHE FELT HOT AND DIZZY ON THE WAY BACK TO FLT CREW AND ESPECIALLY AROUND THE WINDOW EXITS. 1 CALLED COCKPIT AND REITERATED OUR SYMPTOMS TO CAPT. 1 WENT IN COCKPIT AND FO WALKED TO BACK. FO SAID HE COULDN'T FEEL ANYTHING; BUT IT WOULD TAKE MORE THAN HIM BEING THERE FOR 5 MINS TO FEEL SYMPTOMS. HE TOLD ME AND 4 THAT IF IT WERE HIM HE WOULD LAND THE PLANE RIGHT NOW IN ZZZ; BUT BASICALLY THE CAPT AND FLT ATTENDANTS FEELING HOT AND DIZZY WERE NOT REASON ENOUGH FOR HIM TO LAND THE AIRPLANE; SO HIS HANDS WERE TIED AND TO KEEP THEM INFORMED. #1 TOLD ME THAT THE CAPT HAD THE EMER CHKLIST OUT. WHEN FO RETURNED TO COCKPIT HE TOLD THE CAPT THAT HE FELT THEY SHOULD LAND THE PLANE WITH 4 OUT OF 5 FLT ATTENDANTS FEELING DIZZY AND CABIN UNABLE TO COOL OFF. 1 REPORTED THAT CAPT JUST SHOOK HIS HEAD AND SAID HE NEEDED MORE 'EVIDENCE.' I TOLD HIM THAT I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THAT PLANE; AND THE HEAT AND DIZZINESS HAD TO BE RELATED. THERE WAS ALMOST NO AIRFLOW IN THE AFT GALLEY FROM THE AIR VENTS AND THE 4 COMPLAINED OF FEELING SHORT OF BREATH. WHEN SHE GOT TO ROW XX; SHE ASKED; 'IS SOMETHING BURNING?' I CALLED 1 AND SHE CAME BACK AFT; SMELLED THE SAME SMELL; AND WENT UP FRONT AND CALLED THE CAPT. SHE WENT IN COCKPIT; AND THE FO CAME BACK OUT FOR THE SECOND TIME. BY THIS TIME PAX WERE ASKING IF THE PLANE WAS ON FIRE. THE FO SMELLED THE BURNING AND SAID; 'THAT'S IT; WE'RE LANDING THIS PLANE NOW; PROBABLY IN ZZZ1.' HE WENT BACK UP AND WE WENT INTO A NOSE DIVE TO GET ON THE GND. THE PAX IN XX TOLD ME AND 4 THAT SHE HAD NOTICED THE SMELL ON AND OFF FOR AN HOUR BEFORE; BUT JUST THOUGHT IT WAS SOMETHING IN THE GALLEY SO SHE SAID NOTHING. THE PAX IN XY TOLD #4 THAT SHE TOUCHED THE SIDEWALL AND IT WAS SO HOT SHE GOT BURNED AND HAD A BLISTER. HER HUSBAND IN XZ HAD BEEN RESTING WITH A NECK PILLOW AGAINST THE SIDEWALL AND THE PILLOW GOT SO HOT AND SMELLED LIKE IT WAS BURNED. THE 4 SMELLED IT AND SAID IT SMELLED REALLY BAD. ALSO; XXAB SAID THEY STARTED FEELING DIZZY 45 MINS INTO THE FLT ON AND OFF FOR THE LAST 4 HOURS BUT THOUGHT IT WAS DUE TO COMING OFF A CRUISE. AT MY JUMPSEAT; PAX IN XEF TOLD ME THEY SMELLED 'SOMETHING STRANGE.' WE LANDED AND THE FIRE TRUCKS WERE THERE. WE TAXIED TO THE GATE EVENTUALLY AND THE MECHANICS SAID THE PLANE WAS NOT AN 'EASY FIX' AND TO DEPLANE THE PAX.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.