A B737-300 cabin attendant reports the PA system was deferred as inoperative. Emergency megaphone us...

Attributes
ACN	683508
Time
Date	200510
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
ASRS Report	683508
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Events
Independent Detector	other other : 1
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Chart Or Publication Flight Crew Human Performance Maintenance Human Performance Cabin Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Situations
Publication	MEL

Narrative:

The aircraft PA was inoperative in all cabins. This included the PA from the cockpit. The pilot was informed of this prior to boarding and informed of the flight attendant's uncomfortable level with this. During demonstration; the megaphone was used and I could not hear the demonstration at the overwing exits and/or further aft. Passenger informed me that they were not able to hear the demonstration. I informed the crew of this and the cockpit was further informed. Due to the fact that the cockpit could not come over the PA they did not tell us to prepare for take off and this further was a detriment to our lives and the safety of the crew. We were not even called to be told to take our seats for takeoff. If in the unfortunate situation such as an emergency landing and we were instructed by the cockpit to prepare the cabin; the passenger would not have been able to hear us. And we would not have been able to hear the captain's instructions to remain seated if needed. Therefore; we would have evacuate/evacuationed on this aircraft even if the captain felt it was not needed due to the inability to communicate.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 CABIN ATTENDANT RPTS THE PA SYS WAS DEFERRED AS INOP. EMER MEGAPHONE USED BUT INEFFECTIVE. NO TKOF WARNING RECEIVED FROM FLT CREW.

Narrative: THE ACFT PA WAS INOP IN ALL CABINS. THIS INCLUDED THE PA FROM THE COCKPIT. THE PLT WAS INFORMED OF THIS PRIOR TO BOARDING AND INFORMED OF THE FLT ATTENDANT'S UNCOMFORTABLE LEVEL WITH THIS. DURING DEMO; THE MEGAPHONE WAS USED AND I COULD NOT HEAR THE DEMO AT THE OVERWING EXITS AND/OR FURTHER AFT. PAX INFORMED ME THAT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO HEAR THE DEMO. I INFORMED THE CREW OF THIS AND THE COCKPIT WAS FURTHER INFORMED. DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE COCKPIT COULD NOT COME OVER THE PA THEY DID NOT TELL US TO PREPARE FOR TAKE OFF AND THIS FURTHER WAS A DETRIMENT TO OUR LIVES AND THE SAFETY OF THE CREW. WE WERE NOT EVEN CALLED TO BE TOLD TO TAKE OUR SEATS FOR TKOF. IF IN THE UNFORTUNATE SITUATION SUCH AS AN EMER LNDG AND WE WERE INSTRUCTED BY THE COCKPIT TO PREPARE THE CABIN; THE PAX WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HEAR US. AND WE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HEAR THE CAPT'S INSTRUCTIONS TO REMAIN SEATED IF NEEDED. THEREFORE; WE WOULD HAVE EVACED ON THIS ACFT EVEN IF THE CAPT FELT IT WAS NOT NEEDED DUE TO THE INABILITY TO COMMUNICATE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

A B737-300 cabin attendant reports the PA system was deferred as inoperative. Emergency megaphone used but ineffective. No takeoff warning received from flight crew.