Narrative:

Preflight check on ground in ord. I discovered the halon extinguisher was pinned in behind seat 12B during my preflight check of this ATR42. This aircraft had already flown a few legs since cabin maintenance was informed some days prior to my schedule. Cockpit crew informed me that maintenance crew would move seat forward to remedy problem. Seat was moved and we departed close to schedule time. I was told that when cabin was maintained and carpet was replaced, that the passenger seats were reinstalled improperly, and this created a problem. My concerns are: 1) this plane flew with halon that couldn't be available. 2) how many other planes (that have had similar maintenance) have the same problem. 3) why are the seats reinstalled improperly? 4) why aren't the flight attendants checking their equipment? I feel as a flight attendant that our company puts a lot of pressure on 'on time performance' and service. Cash incentives are offered for this 'on time' thing. It is important, however, safety must be first. We also lose pay if we do not fly in the event a plane needs maintenance that is not scheduled. All crew members know this. Furthermore, it is a financial sacrifice on our part when we make reports of this nature, as we may lose the 'turn.' the company's priorities are all wrong when it comes to safety.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT ATTENDANT RPT REGARDING THE HALON FIRE EXTINGUISHER PINNED BEHIND A SEAT AND INACCESSIBLE FOR USE.

Narrative: PREFLT CHK ON GND IN ORD. I DISCOVERED THE HALON EXTINGUISHER WAS PINNED IN BEHIND SEAT 12B DURING MY PREFLT CHK OF THIS ATR42. THIS ACFT HAD ALREADY FLOWN A FEW LEGS SINCE CABIN MAINT WAS INFORMED SOME DAYS PRIOR TO MY SCHEDULE. COCKPIT CREW INFORMED ME THAT MAINT CREW WOULD MOVE SEAT FORWARD TO REMEDY PROB. SEAT WAS MOVED AND WE DEPARTED CLOSE TO SCHEDULE TIME. I WAS TOLD THAT WHEN CABIN WAS MAINTAINED AND CARPET WAS REPLACED, THAT THE PAX SEATS WERE REINSTALLED IMPROPERLY, AND THIS CREATED A PROB. MY CONCERNS ARE: 1) THIS PLANE FLEW WITH HALON THAT COULDN'T BE AVAILABLE. 2) HOW MANY OTHER PLANES (THAT HAVE HAD SIMILAR MAINT) HAVE THE SAME PROB. 3) WHY ARE THE SEATS REINSTALLED IMPROPERLY? 4) WHY AREN'T THE FLT ATTENDANTS CHKING THEIR EQUIP? I FEEL AS A FLT ATTENDANT THAT OUR COMPANY PUTS A LOT OF PRESSURE ON 'ON TIME PERFORMANCE' AND SVC. CASH INCENTIVES ARE OFFERED FOR THIS 'ON TIME' THING. IT IS IMPORTANT, HOWEVER, SAFETY MUST BE FIRST. WE ALSO LOSE PAY IF WE DO NOT FLY IN THE EVENT A PLANE NEEDS MAINT THAT IS NOT SCHEDULED. ALL CREW MEMBERS KNOW THIS. FURTHERMORE, IT IS A FINANCIAL SACRIFICE ON OUR PART WHEN WE MAKE RPTS OF THIS NATURE, AS WE MAY LOSE THE 'TURN.' THE COMPANY'S PRIORITIES ARE ALL WRONG WHEN IT COMES TO SAFETY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.