Narrative:

During takeoff, myself and the #3 flight attendant noticed an odd sound and vibration during climb. Then we heard and felt 'boom' when I was listening to the #2 flight attendant on the phone with the first officer. I heard him say we lost an engine and he would call us back. He told us about 4 mins later that we had lost the left engine, would dump fuel for 18-20 mins and return back to ord. 45 mins later we landed in ord. The captain kept me somewhat informed. I don't know why we flew for such a long time with the severe vibration we had in the cabin. The #2 flight attendant called the cockpit 4 times to tell them that they were really vibrating worse and the sounds were getting worse. He just kept telling them that it would continue until we landed. Again -- why fly for so long under extremely uncomfortable circumstances? My biggest concerns were 2 things: 1) why we were up so long. 2) the fact that I could not open that cockpit door without calling. I realize the security issues are trying to be worked through concerning our access, but I fly #1 all the time and on sep/sat/01 when I went to work and had my keys taken, my concern immediately became a safety issue/emergency and not being able to whip my keys out and pop my head in to see the cockpit sits.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 CABIN ATTENDANT RPTS LACK OF INFO FROM FLC ON ENG FAILURE AND LENGTH OF TIME IN AIR BEFORE EMER LNDG.

Narrative: DURING TKOF, MYSELF AND THE #3 FLT ATTENDANT NOTICED AN ODD SOUND AND VIBRATION DURING CLB. THEN WE HEARD AND FELT 'BOOM' WHEN I WAS LISTENING TO THE #2 FLT ATTENDANT ON THE PHONE WITH THE FO. I HEARD HIM SAY WE LOST AN ENG AND HE WOULD CALL US BACK. HE TOLD US ABOUT 4 MINS LATER THAT WE HAD LOST THE L ENG, WOULD DUMP FUEL FOR 18-20 MINS AND RETURN BACK TO ORD. 45 MINS LATER WE LANDED IN ORD. THE CAPT KEPT ME SOMEWHAT INFORMED. I DON'T KNOW WHY WE FLEW FOR SUCH A LONG TIME WITH THE SEVERE VIBRATION WE HAD IN THE CABIN. THE #2 FLT ATTENDANT CALLED THE COCKPIT 4 TIMES TO TELL THEM THAT THEY WERE REALLY VIBRATING WORSE AND THE SOUNDS WERE GETTING WORSE. HE JUST KEPT TELLING THEM THAT IT WOULD CONTINUE UNTIL WE LANDED. AGAIN -- WHY FLY FOR SO LONG UNDER EXTREMELY UNCOMFORTABLE CIRCUMSTANCES? MY BIGGEST CONCERNS WERE 2 THINGS: 1) WHY WE WERE UP SO LONG. 2) THE FACT THAT I COULD NOT OPEN THAT COCKPIT DOOR WITHOUT CALLING. I REALIZE THE SECURITY ISSUES ARE TRYING TO BE WORKED THROUGH CONCERNING OUR ACCESS, BUT I FLY #1 ALL THE TIME AND ON SEP/SAT/01 WHEN I WENT TO WORK AND HAD MY KEYS TAKEN, MY CONCERN IMMEDIATELY BECAME A SAFETY ISSUE/EMER AND NOT BEING ABLE TO WHIP MY KEYS OUT AND POP MY HEAD IN TO SEE THE COCKPIT SITS.

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.