Flight attendant requests clarification of rules requiring minimum staffing when any passenger are o...

Attributes
ACN	797036
Time
Date	200806
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
ASRS Report	797036
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other other : 1
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA Company
Primary Problem	FAA

Narrative:

We were staffed with 4 flight attendants. The jetbridge phone rang several (4-5) times throughout our boarding process. Our crew did not want to get off the plane to answer the phone as we were staffed at minimum. We were also told by an FAA inspector on this flight that in no way should we get off the plane to answer the phones when staffing is at minimum. Section of our faom says that we can answer the phone. This is not only confusing for flight attendants; it's frustrating as the jetbridge phone rings on a regular basis for non emergency issues such as the crew desk with reassignments; gate agent calling to see if we need bag tags; if a particular passenger is on board; etc. Without us having esp; how would we know if it is an emergency issue when the phone rings? This is a gray area for all flight attendants who are working minimum staffed flts.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT ATTENDANT REQUESTS CLARIFICATION OF RULES REQUIRING MINIMUM STAFFING WHEN ANY PAX ARE ON BOARD AT THE GATE.

Narrative: WE WERE STAFFED WITH 4 FLT ATTENDANTS. THE JETBRIDGE PHONE RANG SEVERAL (4-5) TIMES THROUGHOUT OUR BOARDING PROCESS. OUR CREW DID NOT WANT TO GET OFF THE PLANE TO ANSWER THE PHONE AS WE WERE STAFFED AT MINIMUM. WE WERE ALSO TOLD BY AN FAA INSPECTOR ON THIS FLT THAT IN NO WAY SHOULD WE GET OFF THE PLANE TO ANSWER THE PHONES WHEN STAFFING IS AT MINIMUM. SECTION OF OUR FAOM SAYS THAT WE CAN ANSWER THE PHONE. THIS IS NOT ONLY CONFUSING FOR FLT ATTENDANTS; IT'S FRUSTRATING AS THE JETBRIDGE PHONE RINGS ON A REGULAR BASIS FOR NON EMER ISSUES SUCH AS THE CREW DESK WITH REASSIGNMENTS; GATE AGENT CALLING TO SEE IF WE NEED BAG TAGS; IF A PARTICULAR PAX IS ON BOARD; ETC. WITHOUT US HAVING ESP; HOW WOULD WE KNOW IF IT IS AN EMER ISSUE WHEN THE PHONE RINGS? THIS IS A GRAY AREA FOR ALL FLT ATTENDANTS WHO ARE WORKING MINIMUM STAFFED FLTS.

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.

Flight attendant requests clarification of rules requiring minimum staffing when any passenger are on board at the gate.