Narrative:

I worked a flight from ZZZ1 to ZZZ2. The aircraft number is configured with trash can; no trash compactor. We had done our initial beverage service and was picking with bags. The garbage bag was too full to fit through the door flapper. I proceeded to open the main door to find that there was no trash can. On the front of the door it states that 'waste container must be installed.' I called the captain and notified the purser. Captain notified ZZZ2 that we would need a trash can when we landed. We received an ACARS back that one would meet the aircraft when we blocked in. Catering came up to the aircraft and there was no trash can. I asked where it was and he said that he knew nothing of our situation. I had the purser call operations and she spoke with mr X who said he would make some calls and get back to us. I proceeded to call on board supervisor mrs Y. She also was unaware of the situation; but said she would make some calls and return back to me in a timely manner. At 10 mins prior to departure for ZZZ3; nothing had arrived. I spoke with mrs Y again; who told me to 'stack things on the floor; and before landing; put the garbage in the bathroom.' as it states in our manual; 'no trash shall be placed in the lavatories' as it violates FARS 121.308 lavatory fire protection and 121.577 stowage of food; beverage and passenger service equipment; I felt very uncomfortable to take the aircraft. I was told that there is nothing else to do. A mechanic came on board and taped off the entire compartment. I knew that we would be violating FARS not only on 1 segment but 2; as we had to bring the aircraft back to ZZZ2. What; as a flight attendant; rights do I have? Could I have walked off of the aircraft? Or should I have delayed the flight to pursue the issue? I felt like I was backed into a corner. Mrs Y had called operations prior and talked with mrs Z who obviously knew nothing of our situation; because mr X had never passed it on. I felt like I had to take the aircraft as did my crew. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the maintenance station had adequate time for the trash can replacement and advised the crew it would be replaced on arrival. While on the ground; the contract catering crew that is responsible for removing the inbound trash can and loading the outbound empty can didn't know anything about the request. The catering crew did not have a replacement can; believing this was an airplane equipped with a trash compactor. The reporter said frequent calls were made by the flight crew to the station operations center and were assured a can would be delivered. The reporter stated 2 calls were made to the caterer with no results. This airplane was dispatched with no trash container.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-300 WAS DISPATCHED ON 2 FLTS FROM A MAINT STATION WITH THE GALLEY TRASH CAN NOT INSTALLED. GARBAGE AND TRASH STOWED IN LAVATORY.

Narrative: I WORKED A FLT FROM ZZZ1 TO ZZZ2. THE ACFT NUMBER IS CONFIGURED WITH TRASH CAN; NO TRASH COMPACTOR. WE HAD DONE OUR INITIAL BEVERAGE SVC AND WAS PICKING WITH BAGS. THE GARBAGE BAG WAS TOO FULL TO FIT THROUGH THE DOOR FLAPPER. I PROCEEDED TO OPEN THE MAIN DOOR TO FIND THAT THERE WAS NO TRASH CAN. ON THE FRONT OF THE DOOR IT STATES THAT 'WASTE CONTAINER MUST BE INSTALLED.' I CALLED THE CAPT AND NOTIFIED THE PURSER. CAPT NOTIFIED ZZZ2 THAT WE WOULD NEED A TRASH CAN WHEN WE LANDED. WE RECEIVED AN ACARS BACK THAT ONE WOULD MEET THE ACFT WHEN WE BLOCKED IN. CATERING CAME UP TO THE ACFT AND THERE WAS NO TRASH CAN. I ASKED WHERE IT WAS AND HE SAID THAT HE KNEW NOTHING OF OUR SITUATION. I HAD THE PURSER CALL OPS AND SHE SPOKE WITH MR X WHO SAID HE WOULD MAKE SOME CALLS AND GET BACK TO US. I PROCEEDED TO CALL ON BOARD SUPVR MRS Y. SHE ALSO WAS UNAWARE OF THE SITUATION; BUT SAID SHE WOULD MAKE SOME CALLS AND RETURN BACK TO ME IN A TIMELY MANNER. AT 10 MINS PRIOR TO DEP FOR ZZZ3; NOTHING HAD ARRIVED. I SPOKE WITH MRS Y AGAIN; WHO TOLD ME TO 'STACK THINGS ON THE FLOOR; AND BEFORE LNDG; PUT THE GARBAGE IN THE BATHROOM.' AS IT STATES IN OUR MANUAL; 'NO TRASH SHALL BE PLACED IN THE LAVATORIES' AS IT VIOLATES FARS 121.308 LAVATORY FIRE PROTECTION AND 121.577 STOWAGE OF FOOD; BEVERAGE AND PAX SVC EQUIP; I FELT VERY UNCOMFORTABLE TO TAKE THE ACFT. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS NOTHING ELSE TO DO. A MECH CAME ON BOARD AND TAPED OFF THE ENTIRE COMPARTMENT. I KNEW THAT WE WOULD BE VIOLATING FARS NOT ONLY ON 1 SEGMENT BUT 2; AS WE HAD TO BRING THE ACFT BACK TO ZZZ2. WHAT; AS A FLT ATTENDANT; RIGHTS DO I HAVE? COULD I HAVE WALKED OFF OF THE ACFT? OR SHOULD I HAVE DELAYED THE FLT TO PURSUE THE ISSUE? I FELT LIKE I WAS BACKED INTO A CORNER. MRS Y HAD CALLED OPS PRIOR AND TALKED WITH MRS Z WHO OBVIOUSLY KNEW NOTHING OF OUR SITUATION; BECAUSE MR X HAD NEVER PASSED IT ON. I FELT LIKE I HAD TO TAKE THE ACFT AS DID MY CREW. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE MAINT STATION HAD ADEQUATE TIME FOR THE TRASH CAN REPLACEMENT AND ADVISED THE CREW IT WOULD BE REPLACED ON ARR. WHILE ON THE GND; THE CONTRACT CATERING CREW THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR REMOVING THE INBOUND TRASH CAN AND LOADING THE OUTBOUND EMPTY CAN DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE REQUEST. THE CATERING CREW DID NOT HAVE A REPLACEMENT CAN; BELIEVING THIS WAS AN AIRPLANE EQUIPPED WITH A TRASH COMPACTOR. THE RPTR SAID FREQUENT CALLS WERE MADE BY THE FLT CREW TO THE STATION OPS CTR AND WERE ASSURED A CAN WOULD BE DELIVERED. THE RPTR STATED 2 CALLS WERE MADE TO THE CATERER WITH NO RESULTS. THIS AIRPLANE WAS DISPATCHED WITH NO TRASH CONTAINER.

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.