Takeoff was made before the cabin attendants were seated.

Attributes
ACN	488671
Time
Date	200010
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iah.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : iah.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : takeoff roll ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 280 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	488671
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 1700
ASRS Report	488675
Events
Anomaly	cabin event other non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other other : person 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Company Cabin Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We were cleared for takeoff while still 300 yards from the runway. We began the before takeoff checklist. Prior to completion of the checklist, we discovered the cabin safety PA (automated) was still in progress. I slowed the taxi so as when we were close to the runway the cabin safety PA would be complete. On its completion, we made the final PA sitting the flight attendants down for takeoff. They were not close to their seats and the takeoff was made before they could get to an intercom or their seats. Marketing has taken over making the automated PA's for the cabin. They contain marketing items as well as safety. They have gotten longer and a cabin safety check is required of the flight attendants prior to takeoff and after the cabin safety PA. If they are in the aisle, they cannot communicate with the cockpit as the interphone system is at their jump seat station. This problem did not occur prior to marketing's expansion of the cabin safety PA. There is not a good way for the flight attendants to communicate with the pilot under these circumstances. The safety PA should be kept short and address essential issues, not marketing.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TKOF WAS MADE BEFORE THE CABIN ATTENDANTS WERE SEATED.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF WHILE STILL 300 YARDS FROM THE RWY. WE BEGAN THE BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST. PRIOR TO COMPLETION OF THE CHKLIST, WE DISCOVERED THE CABIN SAFETY PA (AUTOMATED) WAS STILL IN PROGRESS. I SLOWED THE TAXI SO AS WHEN WE WERE CLOSE TO THE RWY THE CABIN SAFETY PA WOULD BE COMPLETE. ON ITS COMPLETION, WE MADE THE FINAL PA SITTING THE FLT ATTENDANTS DOWN FOR TKOF. THEY WERE NOT CLOSE TO THEIR SEATS AND THE TKOF WAS MADE BEFORE THEY COULD GET TO AN INTERCOM OR THEIR SEATS. MARKETING HAS TAKEN OVER MAKING THE AUTOMATED PA'S FOR THE CABIN. THEY CONTAIN MARKETING ITEMS AS WELL AS SAFETY. THEY HAVE GOTTEN LONGER AND A CABIN SAFETY CHK IS REQUIRED OF THE FLT ATTENDANTS PRIOR TO TKOF AND AFTER THE CABIN SAFETY PA. IF THEY ARE IN THE AISLE, THEY CANNOT COMMUNICATE WITH THE COCKPIT AS THE INTERPHONE SYS IS AT THEIR JUMP SEAT STATION. THIS PROB DID NOT OCCUR PRIOR TO MARKETING'S EXPANSION OF THE CABIN SAFETY PA. THERE IS NOT A GOOD WAY FOR THE FLT ATTENDANTS TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE PLT UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES. THE SAFETY PA SHOULD BE KEPT SHORT AND ADDRESS ESSENTIAL ISSUES, NOT MARKETING.

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.