A B727 flight crew reports fewer than required flight attendants on board during passenger loading.

Attributes
ACN	454050
Time
Date	199911
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den.airport
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	454050
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Qualification	flight attendant : currently qualified
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

Due to a late inbound flight, I arrived at the gate to see passenger boarding in progress with a flight attendant and gate agent taking tickets. I asked the flight attendant how many were on board and she said '2.' I told her to stop taking tickets and go on board the aircraft. The agent says, 'you mean I have to take tickets by myself?' I said, 'that's right.' she said, 'I'm going to call a supervisor.' I said, 'go ahead.' a supervisor came down and told me I was violating an FAA regulation. I told her 'no, I am acting in the best interests of safety.' this stuff has been going on long enough, and air carrier could care less about safety during boarding -- only their on-time performance. Far 121.391, flight attendants, states (in part): 'for aircraft having a seating capacity of more than 100 passenger, 2 flight attendants plus 1 additional flight attendant for each unit (or part of a unit) of 50 passenger seats above a seating capacity of 100 passenger.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 FLC RPTS FEWER THAN REQUIRED FLT ATTENDANTS ON BOARD DURING PAX LOADING.

Narrative: DUE TO A LATE INBOUND FLT, I ARRIVED AT THE GATE TO SEE PAX BOARDING IN PROGRESS WITH A FLT ATTENDANT AND GATE AGENT TAKING TICKETS. I ASKED THE FLT ATTENDANT HOW MANY WERE ON BOARD AND SHE SAID '2.' I TOLD HER TO STOP TAKING TICKETS AND GO ON BOARD THE ACFT. THE AGENT SAYS, 'YOU MEAN I HAVE TO TAKE TICKETS BY MYSELF?' I SAID, 'THAT'S RIGHT.' SHE SAID, 'I'M GOING TO CALL A SUPVR.' I SAID, 'GO AHEAD.' A SUPVR CAME DOWN AND TOLD ME I WAS VIOLATING AN FAA REG. I TOLD HER 'NO, I AM ACTING IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF SAFETY.' THIS STUFF HAS BEEN GOING ON LONG ENOUGH, AND ACR COULD CARE LESS ABOUT SAFETY DURING BOARDING -- ONLY THEIR ON-TIME PERFORMANCE. FAR 121.391, FLT ATTENDANTS, STATES (IN PART): 'FOR ACFT HAVING A SEATING CAPACITY OF MORE THAN 100 PAX, 2 FLT ATTENDANTS PLUS 1 ADDITIONAL FLT ATTENDANT FOR EACH UNIT (OR PART OF A UNIT) OF 50 PAX SEATS ABOVE A SEATING CAPACITY OF 100 PAX.'

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.