Narrative:

My air carrier has been in the process of reconfiguring the A320 aircraft. In the process of removing the forward coat closet that housed the emergency equipment; the airline first relocated the emergency equipment to the forward overhead compartments. Crew members have not been happy about the move since it has created congestion in the first class cabin. It has only become a real issue for the airline when the first class customers complained. The airline found it needed to change emergency equipment again. Now with no regard for safety; equipment has been relocated to the forward galley. Specifically the first aid kit and pbe have been moved just above and to the left of the ovens. Any reasonable person could see if there was a fire in the oven; getting to this essential equipment would be impossible. Clearly the airline's interest in safety is lacking in place of revenue. The need to increase the aircraft seating capacity resulting in the removal of an essential storage compartment. Now the airline is back-pedaling because of their apparent error they decided to just place equipment anywhere in the cabin. With the public awareness of the airline's poor decisions with regard to integrating the airlines I look to the FAA to ensure the airline doesn't make improper decisions that affect the safety of the aircraft. Placement of emergency equipment should be decided by the FAA and aircraft manufacturers. As a certified flight attendant trained on a specific model of aircraft I should be able to find the same equipment in the same location regardless of airline. If I'm on board another airline's aircraft I should be able to locate emergency equipment.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLT ATTENDANT RPTS ACR HAS MOVED EMER EQUIP TO GALLEY LOCKER WHICH COULD MAKE THE EQUIP DIFFICULT TO ACCESS IN A GALLEY FIRE.

Narrative: MY ACR HAS BEEN IN THE PROCESS OF RECONFIGURING THE A320 AIRCRAFT. IN THE PROCESS OF REMOVING THE FORWARD COAT CLOSET THAT HOUSED THE EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT; THE AIRLINE FIRST RELOCATED THE EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT TO THE FORWARD OVERHEAD COMPARTMENTS. CREW MEMBERS HAVE NOT BEEN HAPPY ABOUT THE MOVE SINCE IT HAS CREATED CONGESTION IN THE FIRST CLASS CABIN. IT HAS ONLY BECOME A REAL ISSUE FOR THE AIRLINE WHEN THE FIRST CLASS CUSTOMERS COMPLAINED. THE AIRLINE FOUND IT NEEDED TO CHANGE EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT AGAIN. NOW WITH NO REGARD FOR SAFETY; EQUIPMENT HAS BEEN RELOCATED TO THE FORWARD GALLEY. SPECIFICALLY THE FIRST AID KIT AND PBE HAVE BEEN MOVED JUST ABOVE AND TO THE LEFT OF THE OVENS. ANY REASONABLE PERSON COULD SEE IF THERE WAS A FIRE IN THE OVEN; GETTING TO THIS ESSENTIAL EQUIPMENT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE. CLEARLY THE AIRLINE'S INTEREST IN SAFETY IS LACKING IN PLACE OF REVENUE. THE NEED TO INCREASE THE AIRCRAFT SEATING CAPACITY RESULTING IN THE REMOVAL OF AN ESSENTIAL STORAGE COMPARTMENT. NOW THE AIRLINE IS BACK-PEDALING BECAUSE OF THEIR APPARENT ERROR THEY DECIDED TO JUST PLACE EQUIPMENT ANYWHERE IN THE CABIN. WITH THE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE AIRLINE'S POOR DECISIONS WITH REGARD TO INTEGRATING THE AIRLINES I LOOK TO THE FAA TO ENSURE THE AIRLINE DOESN'T MAKE IMPROPER DECISIONS THAT AFFECT THE SAFETY OF THE AIRCRAFT. PLACEMENT OF EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT SHOULD BE DECIDED BY THE FAA AND AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURERS. AS A CERTIFIED FLIGHT ATTENDANT TRAINED ON A SPECIFIC MODEL OF AIRCRAFT I SHOULD BE ABLE TO FIND THE SAME EQUIPMENT IN THE SAME LOCATION REGARDLESS OF AIRLINE. IF I'M ON BOARD ANOTHER AIRLINE'S AIRCRAFT I SHOULD BE ABLE TO LOCATE EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT.

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.