Narrative:

Lap belts and shoulder harnesses on an older medium large transport aircraft jumpseats are too small to accommodate male flight attendant and some female flight attendants. Shoulder harnesses cannot be put on by male flight attendants. They do not extend far enough for use. Lap belts are too short, cannot be buckled without the use of a seat belt extension. I was questioned upon final approach as to why I did not have the shoulder harnesses on. I explained to the FAA inspector that it was impossible for me to get into the harnesses. I also demonstrated the problem to him. It was explained to me that this was not acceptable and must be corrected. I explained that this had been addressed with the company and they were aware this is a problem. Many complaints by male and female have been made. I was not fined, but was asked to document this - and perhaps help to have it fixed. The company's response is to not fly that aircraft. This is not a solution, as many crew members are on reserve and do not have a choice of aircraft to work. Also, there are always aircraft substitutions - that don't permit choice of aircraft. The company has admitted to a problem and refuses to fix it. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter is a male flight attendant, 6 ft tall, 189 pounds, and with a 35 inch waist. He is not overly large. He states that '85 percent' of the flight attendants have problems with the shoulder harness and/or the seat belt. He must use a belt extender to use the belt. He chooses to fly this particular medium large transport so that he can fly with his wife. The air carrier shows no sympathy, and neither does the air carrier inspector. All of these aircraft were to be retired, but a decision has been made to keep them flying for some time more. No change to the seat belt system is expected soon. The reporter is now aware of the FAA safety hotline.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CAB RPTS THAT HE CANNOT GET INTO THE JUMPSEAT SHOULDER HARNESS EASILY, AND CANNOT USE THE SEAT BELT WITHOUT AN EXTENDER.

Narrative: LAP BELTS AND SHOULDER HARNESSES ON AN OLDER MLG ACFT JUMPSEATS ARE TOO SMALL TO ACCOMMODATE MALE FLT ATTENDANT AND SOME FEMALE FLT ATTENDANTS. SHOULDER HARNESSES CANNOT BE PUT ON BY MALE FLT ATTENDANTS. THEY DO NOT EXTEND FAR ENOUGH FOR USE. LAP BELTS ARE TOO SHORT, CANNOT BE BUCKLED WITHOUT THE USE OF A SEAT BELT EXTENSION. I WAS QUESTIONED UPON FINAL APCH AS TO WHY I DID NOT HAVE THE SHOULDER HARNESSES ON. I EXPLAINED TO THE FAA INSPECTOR THAT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO GET INTO THE HARNESSES. I ALSO DEMONSTRATED THE PROB TO HIM. IT WAS EXPLAINED TO ME THAT THIS WAS NOT ACCEPTABLE AND MUST BE CORRECTED. I EXPLAINED THAT THIS HAD BEEN ADDRESSED WITH THE COMPANY AND THEY WERE AWARE THIS IS A PROB. MANY COMPLAINTS BY MALE AND FEMALE HAVE BEEN MADE. I WAS NOT FINED, BUT WAS ASKED TO DOCUMENT THIS - AND PERHAPS HELP TO HAVE IT FIXED. THE COMPANY'S RESPONSE IS TO NOT FLY THAT ACFT. THIS IS NOT A SOLUTION, AS MANY CREW MEMBERS ARE ON RESERVE AND DO NOT HAVE A CHOICE OF ACFT TO WORK. ALSO, THERE ARE ALWAYS ACFT SUBSTITUTIONS - THAT DON'T PERMIT CHOICE OF ACFT. THE COMPANY HAS ADMITTED TO A PROB AND REFUSES TO FIX IT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR IS A MALE FLT ATTENDANT, 6 FT TALL, 189 LBS, AND WITH A 35 INCH WAIST. HE IS NOT OVERLY LARGE. HE STATES THAT '85 PERCENT' OF THE FLT ATTENDANTS HAVE PROBS WITH THE SHOULDER HARNESS AND/OR THE SEAT BELT. HE MUST USE A BELT EXTENDER TO USE THE BELT. HE CHOOSES TO FLY THIS PARTICULAR MLG SO THAT HE CAN FLY WITH HIS WIFE. THE ACR SHOWS NO SYMPATHY, AND NEITHER DOES THE ACR INSPECTOR. ALL OF THESE ACFT WERE TO BE RETIRED, BUT A DECISION HAS BEEN MADE TO KEEP THEM FLYING FOR SOME TIME MORE. NO CHANGE TO THE SEAT BELT SYS IS EXPECTED SOON. THE RPTR IS NOW AWARE OF THE FAA SAFETY HOTLINE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.