A B777 flight attendant reports severe turbulence after being forewarned of impending chop. Reporter...

Attributes
ACN	679449
Time
Date	200511
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zzzz.artcc
State Reference	FO
Environment
Weather Elements	Turbulence
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B777 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Experience	flight attendant time airline total : 33 flight attendant time total : 33 flight attendant time type : 100
ASRS Report	679449
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : turbulence
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

I was in zone C picking up passenger food trays with a cart (serving post dinner beverages also) when the captain announced on PA that we would be experiencing some 'chop.' he did not tell us to situation down. Shortly afterwards; the 'chop' became more intense. The purser announced for flight attendants to remove carts from aisle and be seated. With great difficulty; I managed to maneuver cart to aft galley and perch on an armrest in row 45 with my arms wrapped around the seat back. The turbulence was 'severe' according to the flight attendant manual. Flight attendant #2 was wedged in the aft galley holding onto handholds; unable to move while her feet were lifted off the floor. Walking was impossible. Passenger were told by purser via PA to put food service trays on the floor -- the trays were tossed around the aisle. There were many passenger visibly shaken by the abrupt changes in the attitude of aircraft. My feeling is that the cockpit crew is unaware of the degree of disparity in turbulence between their location in the cockpit and the aft galley. We were unable to walk or to provide food service. In fact; we were unable to reach our jumpseats.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B777 FLT ATTENDANT RPTS SEVERE TURB AFTER BEING FOREWARNED OF IMPENDING CHOP. RPTR EMPHASIZES DISPARITY BTWN COCKPIT AND CABIN TURB EXPERIENCE.

Narrative: I WAS IN ZONE C PICKING UP PAX FOOD TRAYS WITH A CART (SERVING POST DINNER BEVERAGES ALSO) WHEN THE CAPT ANNOUNCED ON PA THAT WE WOULD BE EXPERIENCING SOME 'CHOP.' HE DID NOT TELL US TO SIT DOWN. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS; THE 'CHOP' BECAME MORE INTENSE. THE PURSER ANNOUNCED FOR FLT ATTENDANTS TO REMOVE CARTS FROM AISLE AND BE SEATED. WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY; I MANAGED TO MANEUVER CART TO AFT GALLEY AND PERCH ON AN ARMREST IN ROW 45 WITH MY ARMS WRAPPED AROUND THE SEAT BACK. THE TURB WAS 'SEVERE' ACCORDING TO THE FLT ATTENDANT MANUAL. FLT ATTENDANT #2 WAS WEDGED IN THE AFT GALLEY HOLDING ONTO HANDHOLDS; UNABLE TO MOVE WHILE HER FEET WERE LIFTED OFF THE FLOOR. WALKING WAS IMPOSSIBLE. PAX WERE TOLD BY PURSER VIA PA TO PUT FOOD SVC TRAYS ON THE FLOOR -- THE TRAYS WERE TOSSED AROUND THE AISLE. THERE WERE MANY PAX VISIBLY SHAKEN BY THE ABRUPT CHANGES IN THE ATTITUDE OF ACFT. MY FEELING IS THAT THE COCKPIT CREW IS UNAWARE OF THE DEGREE OF DISPARITY IN TURB BTWN THEIR LOCATION IN THE COCKPIT AND THE AFT GALLEY. WE WERE UNABLE TO WALK OR TO PROVIDE FOOD SVC. IN FACT; WE WERE UNABLE TO REACH OUR JUMPSEATS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

A B777 flight attendant reports severe turbulence after being forewarned of impending chop. Reporter emphasizes disparity between cockpit and cabin turbulence experience.