Departure delay and a diversion to an en route airport for a mechanical resulting in a late arrival ...

Attributes
ACN	598805
Time
Date	200311
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : saez.airport
State Reference	FO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : pie.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767-300 and 300 ER
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty oversight : flight attendant in charge
Qualification	flight attendant : currently qualified flight attendant aircraft qualified on : 3
Experience	flight attendant time airline total : 40.5 flight attendant time total : 40.5 flight attendant time type : 10
ASRS Report	598805
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Qualification	flight attendant : currently qualified flight attendant aircraft qualified on : 4
Experience	flight attendant time airline total : 17 flight attendant time total : 17 flight attendant time type : 90
ASRS Report	598806
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : company policies non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : diverted to another airport
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Aircraft Cabin Crew Human Performance Company
Primary Problem	Environmental Factor

Narrative:

We experienced a 31 min delay while waiting for 3 connecting passenger. After several hours in flight, we began to notice that 1 lavatory after another stopped functioning, unable to flush, and filling up. One by one, the lavatories were blocked off and inaccessible for passenger use. Captain (after conferring with many sources), made the decision to divert to slvr. We were on the ground there approximately 1/2 hour. We then continued on to saez, and upon arrival, we had been on duty 14 hours, 59 mins. Due to the fact that this was an special flight, the hotel had a cake for us, which was the first food several of us had eaten, as there was little or no food left on board, and we no longer have meals provided for us. When I arrived in my room, I looked at the clock and realized it was exactly 7 hours until pickup for our return flight. This was all the time we had available to unwind/sleep/shower and get ready to fly again. According to my schedule, the odl was XA51, but this didn't count travel to and from the airport to our downtown hotel. Certainly no time to have a meal after arrival or prior to departure. Our #2 flight attendant really felt the effects of this situation -- as he was unable to return with us due to a migraine and total lack of sleep. I felt like I had been beaten up. When we arrived at the airport once again, because it was a special flight out of saez, there was a cake for us. For most of us ate the cake at the hotel and this cake was the only sustenance we had to eat since leaving. (2 pieces of cake in 24 hours.) we were exhausted due to lack of layover time to sleep. If our situation was at all legal, then the FAA needs to take a serious look at these limits. Proper rest times are essential as well as time to eat a decent meal. I believe our safety is compromised greatly by the present guidelines. Supplemental information from acn 598806: flight crew very tired, not sure I could evacuate in an emergency with such little rest.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DEP DELAY AND A DIVERSION TO AN ENRTE ARPT FOR A MECHANICAL RESULTING IN A LATE ARR AT DEST RESULTING IN MINIMUM REST ALONG WITH INABILITY TO ACQUIRE FOOD FOR THE CREW IS SIGHTED BY A CABIN CREW AS A SAFETY HAZARD.

Narrative: WE EXPERIENCED A 31 MIN DELAY WHILE WAITING FOR 3 CONNECTING PAX. AFTER SEVERAL HRS IN FLT, WE BEGAN TO NOTICE THAT 1 LAVATORY AFTER ANOTHER STOPPED FUNCTIONING, UNABLE TO FLUSH, AND FILLING UP. ONE BY ONE, THE LAVATORIES WERE BLOCKED OFF AND INACCESSIBLE FOR PAX USE. CAPT (AFTER CONFERRING WITH MANY SOURCES), MADE THE DECISION TO DIVERT TO SLVR. WE WERE ON THE GND THERE APPROX 1/2 HR. WE THEN CONTINUED ON TO SAEZ, AND UPON ARR, WE HAD BEEN ON DUTY 14 HRS, 59 MINS. DUE TO THE FACT THAT THIS WAS AN SPECIAL FLT, THE HOTEL HAD A CAKE FOR US, WHICH WAS THE FIRST FOOD SEVERAL OF US HAD EATEN, AS THERE WAS LITTLE OR NO FOOD LEFT ON BOARD, AND WE NO LONGER HAVE MEALS PROVIDED FOR US. WHEN I ARRIVED IN MY ROOM, I LOOKED AT THE CLOCK AND REALIZED IT WAS EXACTLY 7 HRS UNTIL PICKUP FOR OUR RETURN FLT. THIS WAS ALL THE TIME WE HAD AVAILABLE TO UNWIND/SLEEP/SHOWER AND GET READY TO FLY AGAIN. ACCORDING TO MY SCHEDULE, THE ODL WAS XA51, BUT THIS DIDN'T COUNT TRAVEL TO AND FROM THE ARPT TO OUR DOWNTOWN HOTEL. CERTAINLY NO TIME TO HAVE A MEAL AFTER ARR OR PRIOR TO DEP. OUR #2 FLT ATTENDANT REALLY FELT THE EFFECTS OF THIS SIT -- AS HE WAS UNABLE TO RETURN WITH US DUE TO A MIGRAINE AND TOTAL LACK OF SLEEP. I FELT LIKE I HAD BEEN BEATEN UP. WHEN WE ARRIVED AT THE ARPT ONCE AGAIN, BECAUSE IT WAS A SPECIAL FLT OUT OF SAEZ, THERE WAS A CAKE FOR US. FOR MOST OF US ATE THE CAKE AT THE HOTEL AND THIS CAKE WAS THE ONLY SUSTENANCE WE HAD TO EAT SINCE LEAVING. (2 PIECES OF CAKE IN 24 HRS.) WE WERE EXHAUSTED DUE TO LACK OF LAYOVER TIME TO SLEEP. IF OUR SIT WAS AT ALL LEGAL, THEN THE FAA NEEDS TO TAKE A SERIOUS LOOK AT THESE LIMITS. PROPER REST TIMES ARE ESSENTIAL AS WELL AS TIME TO EAT A DECENT MEAL. I BELIEVE OUR SAFETY IS COMPROMISED GREATLY BY THE PRESENT GUIDELINES. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 598806: FLT CREW VERY TIRED, NOT SURE I COULD EVACUATE IN AN EMER WITH SUCH LITTLE REST.

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.

Departure delay and a diversion to an en route airport for a mechanical resulting in a late arrival at destination resulting in minimum rest along with inability to acquire food for the crew is sighted by a cabin crew as a safety hazard.