Narrative:

After takeoff, the captain called me into the cockpit to ask if I smelled anything in the cabin. The smell of burning plastic was very apparent in the cockpit at the time. When I went into the cabin, the smell was apparent from doors 1L and 1R to row 18 in the main cabin. I immediately reported this to the captain. At the time, we were already at 14000 ft. I asked him if we would be returning to dfw which he replied 'yes.' I then asked if he wanted me to prepare the cabin for an emergency landing. He did not think it was necessary. However, prior to passenger boarding, he had thoroughly briefed me on what he expected of the crew and what he wanted done in the case of an emergency. This included signals for an evacuate/evacuation. He made a PA explaining to the passenger the situation and why we were returning to dfw. He was very direct and honest. He told them we would be met by emergency vehicles as a precaution. He then asked the cabin crew to prepare for landing. I made the routine PA. I did tell my crew to ensure all doors were clear, and reminded them of the captain's signal for an evacuate/evacuation if conditions changed. We landed without further incident. The smell remained throughout deplaning at the terminal. The aircraft was taken OTS. What was so impressive about this situation was the level of communication between cabin and cockpit crews. Also, the captain's communication with the passenger was admirable. It was apparent from passenger comments as they deplaned they appreciated his honesty and his decision to return to dfw.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT ATTENDANT RPT REGARDING A B757 WHICH HAD A BURNING PLASTIC SMELL AFTER DEP. DECISION TO RETURN TO DEP ARPT.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF, THE CAPT CALLED ME INTO THE COCKPIT TO ASK IF I SMELLED ANYTHING IN THE CABIN. THE SMELL OF BURNING PLASTIC WAS VERY APPARENT IN THE COCKPIT AT THE TIME. WHEN I WENT INTO THE CABIN, THE SMELL WAS APPARENT FROM DOORS 1L AND 1R TO ROW 18 IN THE MAIN CABIN. I IMMEDIATELY RPTED THIS TO THE CAPT. AT THE TIME, WE WERE ALREADY AT 14000 FT. I ASKED HIM IF WE WOULD BE RETURNING TO DFW WHICH HE REPLIED 'YES.' I THEN ASKED IF HE WANTED ME TO PREPARE THE CABIN FOR AN EMER LNDG. HE DID NOT THINK IT WAS NECESSARY. HOWEVER, PRIOR TO PAX BOARDING, HE HAD THOROUGHLY BRIEFED ME ON WHAT HE EXPECTED OF THE CREW AND WHAT HE WANTED DONE IN THE CASE OF AN EMER. THIS INCLUDED SIGNALS FOR AN EVAC. HE MADE A PA EXPLAINING TO THE PAX THE SIT AND WHY WE WERE RETURNING TO DFW. HE WAS VERY DIRECT AND HONEST. HE TOLD THEM WE WOULD BE MET BY EMER VEHICLES AS A PRECAUTION. HE THEN ASKED THE CABIN CREW TO PREPARE FOR LNDG. I MADE THE ROUTINE PA. I DID TELL MY CREW TO ENSURE ALL DOORS WERE CLR, AND REMINDED THEM OF THE CAPT'S SIGNAL FOR AN EVAC IF CONDITIONS CHANGED. WE LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THE SMELL REMAINED THROUGHOUT DEPLANING AT THE TERMINAL. THE ACFT WAS TAKEN OTS. WHAT WAS SO IMPRESSIVE ABOUT THIS SIT WAS THE LEVEL OF COM BTWN CABIN AND COCKPIT CREWS. ALSO, THE CAPT'S COM WITH THE PAX WAS ADMIRABLE. IT WAS APPARENT FROM PAX COMMENTS AS THEY DEPLANED THEY APPRECIATED HIS HONESTY AND HIS DECISION TO RETURN TO DFW.

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.