Narrative:

Five minutes prior to push back our first flight attendant told me that there were two fams in seat xb and yb. I had no other notification of this and the agent was in the process of pulling the jet bridge. I had her return the bridge in order to get the boarding cards of the fams. The agent knew nothing about fams on the aircraft. As it turns out there was a shift change and the agent that checked in the fams did not relay the information. We got the situation resolved and were delayed about 10 min in the process. This new fam procedure does not seem safe as it does not put a priority on notifying the captain.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR CAPT WAS UNAWARE HE HAD FAMS ON BOARD UNTIL THE FLT ATTENDANT TOLD HIM JUST PRIOR TO DEP.

Narrative: FIVE MINUTES PRIOR TO PUSH BACK OUR FIRST FLIGHT ATTENDANT TOLD ME THAT THERE WERE TWO FAMS IN SEAT XB AND YB. I HAD NO OTHER NOTIFICATION OF THIS AND THE AGENT WAS IN THE PROCESS OF PULLING THE JET BRIDGE. I HAD HER RETURN THE BRIDGE IN ORDER TO GET THE BOARDING CARDS OF THE FAMS. THE AGENT KNEW NOTHING ABOUT FAMS ON THE AIRCRAFT. AS IT TURNS OUT THERE WAS A SHIFT CHANGE AND THE AGENT THAT CHECKED IN THE FAMS DID NOT RELAY THE INFORMATION. WE GOT THE SITUATION RESOLVED AND WERE DELAYED ABOUT 10 MIN IN THE PROCESS. THIS NEW FAM PROCEDURE DOES NOT SEEM SAFE AS IT DOES NOT PUT A PRIORITY ON NOTIFYING THE CAPTAIN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.