Narrative:

I was the purser on this flight. Shortly after takeoff the f/a at 1L cross aisle told me he could smell burning acrid smell like plastic and asked me to call cockpit. I couldn't smell it myself so asked him to relay info to cockpit. I got up and went to the cross aisle and along with another f/a checked the galley for obvious signs; ovens. Circuit breakers popping etc. The smell was coming or appeared to be coming from the cross aisle area particularly the vent in the ceiling. Another F/a was relaying the information to the cockpit. We were asked to turn off the entertainment system and cockpit shut down the power to seats and galleys. He informed me that the captain said we were going back to the departure airport. She then made a PA wearing an oxygen mask saying we were going back due to smoke in the cabin. I immediately phoned her to say that there was no smoke; just acrid smell which could now be smelled in Y section of the plane.we landed to be met by fire service. The captain explained to them that the smoke had gone and that the problem had been the entertainment system at 1L jumpseat. I had to relay that there had been no smoke and she said that she had understood that we saw smoke. I didn't mention smoke at all. Also it was the cross aisle not 1L jumpseat. We were surprised that the pilots didn't come to check the smell themselves. The smell was intermittent but sometimes very strong; passengers in 1st class smelled it as well.1. On the ground there was a problem with the lavatories not working on the ground the captain did not want to take the plane and told them she would turn right around if there was a problem with them in the air.2. The captain made an announcement to passengers that we needed to get out quickly because there were strong winds going in to ZZZ and the aircraft would not hold up under those conditions. 3. I (purser) was told we were going back to gate due to the smoke; I clarified there was no smoke just burning smell. I asked if she would let the passengers know which she said yes. We prepared the cabin for landing and while strapped in our seats we heard her announcement to passengers (on oxygen mask which scared people) that we had an emergency landing and that fire trucks would be there but to expect a normal landing.I had not been advised it was any kind of emergency; the 1st we knew was this announcement and we were already in our seats ready to land. We had not prepped the cabin for emergency.4. I think crew resource management needs to be improved; maybe bring back the cabin advisory as we didn't know what was going on.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Several B767-300 flight attendants describe a cabin fume event during climbout and the problems associated with preparing the cabin for an emergency return to land with Utility Power removed.

Narrative: I was the purser on this flight. Shortly after takeoff the f/a at 1L cross aisle told me he could smell burning acrid smell like plastic and asked me to call cockpit. I couldn't smell it myself so asked him to relay info to cockpit. I got up and went to the cross aisle and along with another f/a checked the galley for obvious signs; ovens. Circuit breakers popping etc. the smell was coming or appeared to be coming from the cross aisle area particularly the vent in the ceiling. Another F/A was relaying the information to the cockpit. We were asked to turn off the entertainment system and cockpit shut down the power to seats and galleys. He informed me that the captain said we were going back to the departure airport. She then made a PA wearing an oxygen mask saying we were going back due to smoke in the cabin. I immediately phoned her to say that there was no smoke; just acrid smell which could now be smelled in Y section of the plane.We landed to be met by fire service. The captain explained to them that the smoke had gone and that the problem had been the entertainment system at 1L jumpseat. I had to relay that there had been no smoke and she said that she had understood that we saw smoke. I didn't mention smoke at all. Also it was the cross aisle not 1L jumpseat. We were surprised that the pilots didn't come to check the smell themselves. The smell was intermittent but sometimes very strong; passengers in 1st class smelled it as well.1. On the ground there was a problem with the lavatories not working on the ground the captain did not want to take the plane and told them she would turn right around if there was a problem with them in the air.2. The captain made an announcement to passengers that we needed to get out quickly because there were strong winds going in to ZZZ and the aircraft would not hold up under those conditions. 3. I (purser) was told we were going back to gate due to the smoke; I clarified there was no smoke just burning smell. I asked if she would let the passengers know which she said yes. We prepared the cabin for landing and while strapped in our seats we heard her announcement to passengers (on oxygen mask which scared people) that we had an emergency landing and that fire trucks would be there but to expect a normal landing.I had not been advised it was any kind of emergency; the 1st we knew was this announcement and we were already in our seats ready to land. We had not prepped the cabin for emergency.4. I think crew resource management needs to be improved; maybe bring back the cabin advisory as we didn't know what was going on.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.