Narrative:

Flight from ZZZ-ZZZ1-ZZZ2 was staffed with minimum crew (8 flight attendants). Air carrier designated briefing sheet calls for flight attendant #2 (first class flight attendant) to greet at boarding door #1. At briefing; purser stated that flight attendant #4 (economy flight attendant) would take over greeter responsibilities for flight attendant #2. When queried as to why she unilaterally moved the economy flight attendant from her boarding position; in violation of company policy; she said 'what else could I do?' the purser explained that she and first class aisle flight attendants are overwhelmed with the multiple tasks to be accomplished during boarding and feel unable to complete them with just 2 flight attendants. As a result; the purser opted to reassign an economy flight attendant in order to free up a third person for first class duties. As it turned out; boarding door #1 was opened also; and manned by an economy flight attendant; leaving 4 flight attendants in first class; and 4 flight attendants in economy. FARS call for an 'even distribution' throughout the aircraft. This is not an even distribution of crew; with just 4 flight attendants (1 at the economy boarding door) distributed throughout the economy cabin which held 290+ passenger that day. At one point during boarding; I was the only flight attendant in the aisle in the economy cabin. Eventually; however; 3 flight attendants were in the economy aisle during boarding. Security implications aside; it is a violation of company policy to move any flight attendant from their assigned boarding position for anything other than safety duties. The return flight was also staffed with 8 crew; and we experienced the same problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B777 FLT ATTENDANT RPTS MINIMUM FLT ATTENDANT STAFFING FORCING THE FLT ATTENDANT CREW TO BE DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE CABIN NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH ACR AND FAA REQUIREMENTS.

Narrative: FLT FROM ZZZ-ZZZ1-ZZZ2 WAS STAFFED WITH MINIMUM CREW (8 FLT ATTENDANTS). ACR DESIGNATED BRIEFING SHEET CALLS FOR FLT ATTENDANT #2 (FIRST CLASS FLT ATTENDANT) TO GREET AT BOARDING DOOR #1. AT BRIEFING; PURSER STATED THAT FLT ATTENDANT #4 (ECONOMY FLT ATTENDANT) WOULD TAKE OVER GREETER RESPONSIBILITIES FOR FLT ATTENDANT #2. WHEN QUERIED AS TO WHY SHE UNILATERALLY MOVED THE ECONOMY FLT ATTENDANT FROM HER BOARDING POS; IN VIOLATION OF COMPANY POLICY; SHE SAID 'WHAT ELSE COULD I DO?' THE PURSER EXPLAINED THAT SHE AND FIRST CLASS AISLE FLT ATTENDANTS ARE OVERWHELMED WITH THE MULTIPLE TASKS TO BE ACCOMPLISHED DURING BOARDING AND FEEL UNABLE TO COMPLETE THEM WITH JUST 2 FLT ATTENDANTS. AS A RESULT; THE PURSER OPTED TO REASSIGN AN ECONOMY FLT ATTENDANT IN ORDER TO FREE UP A THIRD PERSON FOR FIRST CLASS DUTIES. AS IT TURNED OUT; BOARDING DOOR #1 WAS OPENED ALSO; AND MANNED BY AN ECONOMY FLT ATTENDANT; LEAVING 4 FLT ATTENDANTS IN FIRST CLASS; AND 4 FLT ATTENDANTS IN ECONOMY. FARS CALL FOR AN 'EVEN DISTRIBUTION' THROUGHOUT THE ACFT. THIS IS NOT AN EVEN DISTRIBUTION OF CREW; WITH JUST 4 FLT ATTENDANTS (1 AT THE ECONOMY BOARDING DOOR) DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE ECONOMY CABIN WHICH HELD 290+ PAX THAT DAY. AT ONE POINT DURING BOARDING; I WAS THE ONLY FLT ATTENDANT IN THE AISLE IN THE ECONOMY CABIN. EVENTUALLY; HOWEVER; 3 FLT ATTENDANTS WERE IN THE ECONOMY AISLE DURING BOARDING. SECURITY IMPLICATIONS ASIDE; IT IS A VIOLATION OF COMPANY POLICY TO MOVE ANY FLT ATTENDANT FROM THEIR ASSIGNED BOARDING POS FOR ANYTHING OTHER THAN SAFETY DUTIES. THE RETURN FLT WAS ALSO STAFFED WITH 8 CREW; AND WE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROB.

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.