The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) mourns the loss of Dr Susan Michaelis, a pioneering voice for aviation safety and a tireless campaigner for lobular breast cancer research, who passed away on 9 July 2025 at the age of 62.
A former airline pilot turned scientist and advocate, Susan was known throughout the aviation world for her groundbreaking research into the dangers of contaminated cabin air and her unrelenting drive to protect crew and passengers from exposure to toxic chemicals. Her lived experience – forced to give up flying after severe health impacts linked to contaminated air – sparked a lifelong fight for truth, accountability, and systemic change in the industry.
Susan was the first person to complete a PhD focused on contaminated cabin air and later qualified as an air accident investigator. She co-authored numerous studies and advised governments, airlines, unions, and health professionals globally. Her efforts led to a landmark Australian Senate investigation into aircraft cabin air quality and to increased awareness of the hidden health impacts faced by crew. Until her passing, Susan served as Head of Research for the Global Cabin Air Quality Executive (GCAQE), the leading international organisation representing aircrew on the issue of cabin air contamination.
“Susan was a force for justice and science,” said ITF Civil Aviation and Tourism Services Secretary Bilal Malkawi. “She was not afraid to challenge powerful interests and ask hard questions. Her research has saved lives and opened the door for future generations of transport workers to breathe safer air. She was at the ITF House on the 23rd of June with the GCAQE and fought until the last moment. We honour her legacy and continue to support the work she started.”
In recent years, Susan also turned her energies to fighting for recognition and research into lobular breast cancer, the disease that ultimately took her life and rarely shows on a mammogram. Alongside her husband Tristan Loraine, she co-founded the Lobular Moon Shot Project in 2023, campaigning for £20 million in UK Government funding to better understand this understudied form of cancer. The campaign has gained the support of over 400 MPs across all political parties and is the most bipartisan politically supported campaign in the nation.
Susan’s strength, intellect, and compassion made her a beacon for those around her – whether in the cockpit, the research community, or the halls of government.
The ITF extends its heartfelt condolences to Susan’s family especially her husband Tristan, friends, and the many colleagues and campaigners who walked beside her in her mission to make aviation and the world safer.
