Flight attendant report, MD80, dfw-ord, pilots had difficulty in pressurizing the cabin, flew at lower altitude to ord. Passenger and cabin crew had ear trouble.

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Attributes
ACN	454953
Time
Date	199911
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zfw.artcc
State Reference	TX
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Qualification	flight attendant : currently qualified flight attendant aircraft qualified on : 2
Experience	flight attendant time airline total : 24 flight attendant time total : 24 flight attendant time type : 100
ASRS Report	454953
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty oversight : flight attendant in charge
Qualification	flight attendant : currently qualified
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Approximately 30 mins after takeoff, I felt the aircraft begin to descend to a lower altitude, then level off. The captain came over the PA advising us/passenger that they were experiencing a difficulty with the pressurization of the cabin and that everything was all right, however, we would be maintaining a lower cruising altitude to chicago. Flight attendants #1 and #2 were told by the captain that everything was all right. What I experienced was ear ache/popping and nausea. Passenger were quiet, with only 1 person complaining of ear discomfort to me. After we landed and I was off the plane, I felt better. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated that she didn't know the altitudes that they had flown at, but that everyone (cabin crew and passenger) was having problems with their ears the whole flight to chicago. Flight attendants #1 and #2 went to the cockpit to complain and were told that the crew couldn't do much about it and that when they got to chicago, the plane would be taken OTS and worked on. She said the flight took a bit longer than normal, because of flying at the lower altitude.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT ATTENDANT RPT, MD80, DFW-ORD, PLTS HAD DIFFICULTY IN PRESSURIZING THE CABIN, FLEW AT LOWER ALT TO ORD. PAX AND CABIN CREW HAD EAR TROUBLE.

Narrative: APPROX 30 MINS AFTER TKOF, I FELT THE ACFT BEGIN TO DSND TO A LOWER ALT, THEN LEVEL OFF. THE CAPT CAME OVER THE PA ADVISING US/PAX THAT THEY WERE EXPERIENCING A DIFFICULTY WITH THE PRESSURIZATION OF THE CABIN AND THAT EVERYTHING WAS ALL RIGHT, HOWEVER, WE WOULD BE MAINTAINING A LOWER CRUISING ALT TO CHICAGO. FLT ATTENDANTS #1 AND #2 WERE TOLD BY THE CAPT THAT EVERYTHING WAS ALL RIGHT. WHAT I EXPERIENCED WAS EAR ACHE/POPPING AND NAUSEA. PAX WERE QUIET, WITH ONLY 1 PERSON COMPLAINING OF EAR DISCOMFORT TO ME. AFTER WE LANDED AND I WAS OFF THE PLANE, I FELT BETTER. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THAT SHE DIDN'T KNOW THE ALTS THAT THEY HAD FLOWN AT, BUT THAT EVERYONE (CABIN CREW AND PAX) WAS HAVING PROBS WITH THEIR EARS THE WHOLE FLT TO CHICAGO. FLT ATTENDANTS #1 AND #2 WENT TO THE COCKPIT TO COMPLAIN AND WERE TOLD THAT THE CREW COULDN'T DO MUCH ABOUT IT AND THAT WHEN THEY GOT TO CHICAGO, THE PLANE WOULD BE TAKEN OTS AND WORKED ON. SHE SAID THE FLT TOOK A BIT LONGER THAN NORMAL, BECAUSE OF FLYING AT THE LOWER ALT.

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.