Hawaiian Airlines A330 Flew Again Just Hours After Mystery Odor Sickened 7 Crew

Credit: Karolis Kavolelis | Shutterstock | Simple Flying Published Sep 27, 2026, 12:32 PM EDT Luke has over a decade of experience as a travel writer and aviation analyst. As a passionate traveler based across the Middle East and Asia, Luke offers strong insights into the industry. Based in South East Asia. Sign in to your Simple Flying account Seven flight attendants on board a Hawaiian Airlines Airbus A330-200 became ill after an odor was reported in the cabin during a flight from Los Angeles to Honolulu. The crew members reported nausea and headaches during the flight and were evaluated by medical staff after the jet landed at Honolulu International Airport (HNL). The A330 then returned to passenger service just over ten hours after the incident, with the source of the fume event yet to be disclosed. The aircraft involved (registration N375HA) has a history of previous odor events, including an emergency return to Tokyo in June 2025. Seven Hawaiian Flight Attendants Fall Ill After A330 Fume Event Credit: Wangkun Jia | Shutterstock The incident occurred on Thursday during Flight AS803, marketed by Alaska Airlines but operated by subsidiary Hawaiian. The A330 departed Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) at 10:12 AM local time on September 24 with 252 passengers and nine crew members on board. The crew reported a mystery odor in the cabin at some point during the nearly six-hour flight, with seven flight attendants later falling sick and requiring medical assessment on the ground. Date September 24, 2026 Flight code AS803 Airline Hawaiian Airlines Aircraft Airbus A330-200 From Los Angeles To Honolulu It is not clear at which stage of the flight the odor was first detected, and the aircraft did not divert from its final destination, landing in Honolulu at 12:57 PM. According to a statement from the airline, no passengers reported any symptoms or required treatment, although Honolulu EMS reportedly said some passengers had also felt unwell. A Hawaiian spokesperson told Hawaii News Now: "Seven flight attendants were evaluated and released by medical personnel. No guests required medical attention. Safety is our priority, and we thank the medical professionals for their response." Back In Service Less Than 11 Hours Later Credit: Angel DiBilio | Shutterstock An airline spokesperson said the carrier planned to inspect the aircraft before returning it to service. The 11-year-old A330, N375HA, remained on the ground in Honolulu for around 10 and a half hours before departing at 11:34 PM, operating Flight AS808 to Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas. Simple Flying reached out to Hawaiian for more information on this incident, but a spokesperson could not be reached before publication. Flight tracking data shows the jet has since completed four more flights, going back to Honolulu on Friday before a round trip to Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND) on Friday and Saturday, and a flight to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) on Saturday. Neither Hawaiian nor Alaska has released any information about the odor from Thursday's incident. N375HA was delivered to Hawaiian in January 2015 and is powered by two Rolls-Royce Trent 772B engines. It is one of 24 A330-200s in its fleet and can accommodate up to 278 passengers across two cabins, with 18 business class and 260 economy seats. The incident happened just days after a fume event on a Delta Air Lines flight from Kahului Airport (OGG), which forced both pilots to go on oxygen and divert to Honolulu. Aircraft Has Suffered Previous Odor Events Credit: Markus Mainka | Shutterstock This is not the first time N375HA has been taken out of service because of an odor. On June 23, 2025, while operating flight HA864 from Tokyo Haneda to Honolulu, the pilots reported an odor in the cockpit shortly after takeoff. They declared an emergency and returned to Tokyo, landing just over 30 minutes after departure. It also experienced another fume event in 2023, when a flight attendant reported an odor near the front of the cabin. Maintenance crews later found and replaced a damaged air duct. Fume events have come under growing scrutiny across the aviation industry in recent years. Most modern commercial jets, including the A330, use bleed air drawn from the engines' compressors to supply the cabin with breathable air. However, mechanical problems can allow oil, hydraulic fluid or other substances to enter the air supply, producing unusual odors or fumes that may cause symptoms of illness.