Narrative:

I was working the 'C' position. I was joined by my 2 other flight attendants and 3 newly graduated flight attendants and in-flight supervisor. On our descent; we encountered moderate clear air turbulence. The 'B' flight attendant was in the back galley with the 2 new flight attendants and I was walking towards the galley at about row 24. The turbulence was severe enough that the flight attendants were hanging on the back galley and trying to get secured. I immediately shouted to the crew to 'get into a jumpseat and get belted in now!' since I knew we had 4 flight attendants and only 3 jumpseats available on the -700; I held on until I could get seated in a passenger seat. The turbulence continued the rest of our descent and I thought it was in the best interest of the safety of the crew and passenger for me to remain in the passenger seat for landing. After we landed; the in-flight supervisor stated that since the new flight attendant was seated in my jumpseat for landing and that I was in a passenger seat; that I needed to fill out a safety report form. I stated that I followed company policy by the turbulence action chart to secure oneself in jumpseat as soon as possible or to take nearest passenger seat if necessary. She stated that the new flight attendant should not have occupied one of the minimum crew jumpseats for landing. If I felt there was a safe opportunity to get back to my seat; I would have changed seats with the other flight attendant. However; as I stated above; I felt it was safest for all to remain belted in. If we would have encountered an emergency; I would have been able to get to my evacuate/evacuation station and perform my duties. I realize that in normal operations; we all need to be in our assigned jumpseat for takeoff and landing. However; in this situation we did what we could at the time and that was for us all to get seated as soon as possible.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 FA REPORTS EXPERIENCING TURBULENCE DURING DESCENT THAT REQUIRES IMMEDIATE STRAP IN AT PAX SEAT. NO OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE PRESENTS ITSELF PRIOR TO LANDING.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE 'C' POS. I WAS JOINED BY MY 2 OTHER FLT ATTENDANTS AND 3 NEWLY GRADUATED FLT ATTENDANTS AND INFLT SUPVR. ON OUR DSCNT; WE ENCOUNTERED MODERATE CLR AIR TURB. THE 'B' FLT ATTENDANT WAS IN THE BACK GALLEY WITH THE 2 NEW FLT ATTENDANTS AND I WAS WALKING TOWARDS THE GALLEY AT ABOUT ROW 24. THE TURB WAS SEVERE ENOUGH THAT THE FLT ATTENDANTS WERE HANGING ON THE BACK GALLEY AND TRYING TO GET SECURED. I IMMEDIATELY SHOUTED TO THE CREW TO 'GET INTO A JUMPSEAT AND GET BELTED IN NOW!' SINCE I KNEW WE HAD 4 FLT ATTENDANTS AND ONLY 3 JUMPSEATS AVAILABLE ON THE -700; I HELD ON UNTIL I COULD GET SEATED IN A PAX SEAT. THE TURB CONTINUED THE REST OF OUR DSCNT AND I THOUGHT IT WAS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE SAFETY OF THE CREW AND PAX FOR ME TO REMAIN IN THE PAX SEAT FOR LNDG. AFTER WE LANDED; THE INFLT SUPVR STATED THAT SINCE THE NEW FLT ATTENDANT WAS SEATED IN MY JUMPSEAT FOR LNDG AND THAT I WAS IN A PAX SEAT; THAT I NEEDED TO FILL OUT A SAFETY RPT FORM. I STATED THAT I FOLLOWED COMPANY POLICY BY THE TURB ACTION CHART TO SECURE ONESELF IN JUMPSEAT ASAP OR TO TAKE NEAREST PAX SEAT IF NECESSARY. SHE STATED THAT THE NEW FLT ATTENDANT SHOULD NOT HAVE OCCUPIED ONE OF THE MINIMUM CREW JUMPSEATS FOR LNDG. IF I FELT THERE WAS A SAFE OPPORTUNITY TO GET BACK TO MY SEAT; I WOULD HAVE CHANGED SEATS WITH THE OTHER FLT ATTENDANT. HOWEVER; AS I STATED ABOVE; I FELT IT WAS SAFEST FOR ALL TO REMAIN BELTED IN. IF WE WOULD HAVE ENCOUNTERED AN EMER; I WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET TO MY EVAC STATION AND PERFORM MY DUTIES. I REALIZE THAT IN NORMAL OPS; WE ALL NEED TO BE IN OUR ASSIGNED JUMPSEAT FOR TKOF AND LNDG. HOWEVER; IN THIS SITUATION WE DID WHAT WE COULD AT THE TIME AND THAT WAS FOR US ALL TO GET SEATED ASAP.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.