The issue of “toxic cabin air” is becoming a significant concern. BAE Systems, with Quest International UK, recently launched a new “active air management system.” BAE Systems will be introducing AirManager in its own BAe 146/Avro RJ airliners (a type of airplane that has been singled out for scrutiny by cabin environment activists),
and will also make the system available to buyers of its executive conversions.

AirManager uses close-coupled field technology, “a contained and safe electrical field that eliminates smells and breaks down and destroys airborne pathogens, contaminants and toxins.” According to Quest director David Hallam, the technology achieves a single-pass kill rate of 99.999 percent of biohazards and removes airborne particles down to less than 0.1 micron. (One micron is approximately the equivalent of a single particle of cigarette smoke.)

The EASA has approved the technology for application in the BAE 146 and Avro RJ regionals as well as their executive variants.