What is the foul smell on an airplane?

The distinct smell inside commercial airplanes is often attributed to jet fuel. During flight, commercial airplanes burn a mixture of jet fuel and oxygen in their engines to produce propulsion. When jet fuel burns, it creates odorous vapors that may enter the cabin.



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There is a valve on the storage tank that opens when a toilet is flushed and closes when the toilet is not in use – to prevent odours from leaving the tank. This helps to keep the smell down from so many people using the toilet during a flight. The blue chemical helps to keep the smell down as well.

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1. You bring a high-odor food on board. No one is saying you can't enjoy a tuna sandwich or a hard-boiled egg … but it's best to eat at the gate or in the terminal. Consider the other passengers when you bring something on board that's, let's say, fragrant.

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The plastic used in these components contains a chemical that emits a fish or urine-like smell when it gets extremely hot or burns. The ultimate source of that fish smell in your home could be one of many things—an outlet, a switch, an electrical breaker, wiring, even an overloaded extension cord.

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