B757 flight attendant reports boarding through doors 2L and 3L simultaneously; and does not believe ...

Narrative:

There were 4 flight attendants on board and I was assigned to be flight attendant #2. Approximately 10 mins before boarding was to begin; the ground personnel brought a set of stairs to door #3. At door #2 there was already a loading bridge ramp. I informed the other flight attendants that I did not believe we were able to board through 2 doors due to the staffing guidelines set in the flight attendant manual. With only 4 flight attendants on board; there is not a flight attendant assigned to be at door #3. Flight attendant then told the agent who brought the stairs that we could not use them due to the staffing on board the aircraft. A few mins later; the agent in charge of the flight came on board and was very upset that we would not use the aft door. I explained to him that I believed that we could not board using the aft door because of the staffing and the boarding assignments directed by the company and the FAA. The agent stated they have been boarding using 2 doors on the B757 for 10 yrs and then got off the airplane. A few mins later; boarding began and both doors were used. If management wants to board using 2 doors in line stations like ZZZ; more direction needs to be given to flight attendants on proper boarding assignments in these situations. Current assignments on the B757 with 4 flight attendants on board are as follows: flight attendant #1 has the boarding are between rows 1 and 6; flight attendant #2 is assigned the boarding area of rows 8-16 and must complete all exit briefings prior to the door closing; flight attendant #3 is assigned either door #1 or door #2 for boarding; while flight attendant #4 is assigned rows 16-34. This does not allow a flight attendant to be at door #3 during the boarding process. By forcing half of the flight attendants at boarding door; management makes it increasingly difficult for flight attendants to solve problems on the ground. We cannot monitor the cabin and the 2 doors simultaneously.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 FLIGHT ATTENDANT REPORTS BOARDING THROUGH DOORS 2L AND 3L SIMULTANEOUSLY; AND DOES NOT BELIEVE THIS SITUATION IS COVERED IN THEIR FLIGHT ATTENDANT MANUAL.

Narrative: THERE WERE 4 FLT ATTENDANTS ON BOARD AND I WAS ASSIGNED TO BE FLT ATTENDANT #2. APPROX 10 MINS BEFORE BOARDING WAS TO BEGIN; THE GND PERSONNEL BROUGHT A SET OF STAIRS TO DOOR #3. AT DOOR #2 THERE WAS ALREADY A LOADING BRIDGE RAMP. I INFORMED THE OTHER FLT ATTENDANTS THAT I DID NOT BELIEVE WE WERE ABLE TO BOARD THROUGH 2 DOORS DUE TO THE STAFFING GUIDELINES SET IN THE FLT ATTENDANT MANUAL. WITH ONLY 4 FLT ATTENDANTS ON BOARD; THERE IS NOT A FLT ATTENDANT ASSIGNED TO BE AT DOOR #3. FLT ATTENDANT THEN TOLD THE AGENT WHO BROUGHT THE STAIRS THAT WE COULD NOT USE THEM DUE TO THE STAFFING ON BOARD THE ACFT. A FEW MINS LATER; THE AGENT IN CHARGE OF THE FLT CAME ON BOARD AND WAS VERY UPSET THAT WE WOULD NOT USE THE AFT DOOR. I EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT I BELIEVED THAT WE COULD NOT BOARD USING THE AFT DOOR BECAUSE OF THE STAFFING AND THE BOARDING ASSIGNMENTS DIRECTED BY THE COMPANY AND THE FAA. THE AGENT STATED THEY HAVE BEEN BOARDING USING 2 DOORS ON THE B757 FOR 10 YRS AND THEN GOT OFF THE AIRPLANE. A FEW MINS LATER; BOARDING BEGAN AND BOTH DOORS WERE USED. IF MGMNT WANTS TO BOARD USING 2 DOORS IN LINE STATIONS LIKE ZZZ; MORE DIRECTION NEEDS TO BE GIVEN TO FLT ATTENDANTS ON PROPER BOARDING ASSIGNMENTS IN THESE SITUATIONS. CURRENT ASSIGNMENTS ON THE B757 WITH 4 FLT ATTENDANTS ON BOARD ARE AS FOLLOWS: FLT ATTENDANT #1 HAS THE BOARDING ARE BTWN ROWS 1 AND 6; FLT ATTENDANT #2 IS ASSIGNED THE BOARDING AREA OF ROWS 8-16 AND MUST COMPLETE ALL EXIT BRIEFINGS PRIOR TO THE DOOR CLOSING; FLT ATTENDANT #3 IS ASSIGNED EITHER DOOR #1 OR DOOR #2 FOR BOARDING; WHILE FLT ATTENDANT #4 IS ASSIGNED ROWS 16-34. THIS DOES NOT ALLOW A FLT ATTENDANT TO BE AT DOOR #3 DURING THE BOARDING PROCESS. BY FORCING HALF OF THE FLT ATTENDANTS AT BOARDING DOOR; MGMNT MAKES IT INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT FOR FLT ATTENDANTS TO SOLVE PROBS ON THE GND. WE CANNOT MONITOR THE CABIN AND THE 2 DOORS SIMULTANEOUSLY.

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.

Attributes
ACN	812235
Time
Date	200811
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
ASRS Report	812235
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other other : 1
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Cabin Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

B757 flight attendant reports boarding through doors 2L and 3L simultaneously; and does not believe this situation is covered in their flight attendant manual.