MD80 crew returned to the departure gate after a flight attendant passed out.

Attributes
ACN	541504
Time
Date	200203
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 23500 flight time type : 6500
ASRS Report	541504
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	cabin event other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : 4
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Cabin Crew Human Performance Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

Flight attendant passed out on floor as we taxied onto runway for takeoff. We were cleared for takeoff. As I was taxiing onto runway, the flight attendant call chime rang. First officer answered and was advised the aft flight attendant had passed out on the floor. I advised tower I was clearing the runway and going back to the gate. I asked tower to call for paramedics to meet us at the gate. I taxied back to the gate where paramedics removed flight attendant who, at this time, had regained consciousness. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter indicates the flight attendant involved had a fever and had been sick all night. Continuous vomiting and diarrhea were her symptoms. The company is intimidating its employees to not call in sick. A company manager is to interview each employee that calls in sick in order to validate the illness. As a result, many employees fly when they should not. This exposes passenger and other employees to what ever the employee has. The captain thinks the flight attendant should be covered by the same far's covering pilot illness.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 CREW RETURNED TO THE DEP GATE AFTER A FLT ATTENDANT PASSED OUT.

Narrative: FLT ATTENDANT PASSED OUT ON FLOOR AS WE TAXIED ONTO RWY FOR TKOF. WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF. AS I WAS TAXIING ONTO RWY, THE FLT ATTENDANT CALL CHIME RANG. FO ANSWERED AND WAS ADVISED THE AFT FLT ATTENDANT HAD PASSED OUT ON THE FLOOR. I ADVISED TWR I WAS CLRING THE RWY AND GOING BACK TO THE GATE. I ASKED TWR TO CALL FOR PARAMEDICS TO MEET US AT THE GATE. I TAXIED BACK TO THE GATE WHERE PARAMEDICS REMOVED FLT ATTENDANT WHO, AT THIS TIME, HAD REGAINED CONSCIOUSNESS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR INDICATES THE FLT ATTENDANT INVOLVED HAD A FEVER AND HAD BEEN SICK ALL NIGHT. CONTINUOUS VOMITING AND DIARRHEA WERE HER SYMPTOMS. THE COMPANY IS INTIMIDATING ITS EMPLOYEES TO NOT CALL IN SICK. A COMPANY MGR IS TO INTERVIEW EACH EMPLOYEE THAT CALLS IN SICK IN ORDER TO VALIDATE THE ILLNESS. AS A RESULT, MANY EMPLOYEES FLY WHEN THEY SHOULD NOT. THIS EXPOSES PAX AND OTHER EMPLOYEES TO WHAT EVER THE EMPLOYEE HAS. THE CAPT THINKS THE FLT ATTENDANT SHOULD BE COVERED BY THE SAME FAR'S COVERING PLT ILLNESS.

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.