Narrative:

Read logbook via computer; awaiting my commuter flight. Noted MEL 25-02c for 4R aft door flight attendant jumpseat no retract. MEL states that seat must be secured retracted with 'tape of a contrasting color' and that the nearest passenger seat must be reserved for the flight attendant; and placarded 'for flight attendant use only'. Commuter flight was 4 hours late; and I was 1.5 hours late for sign in. Aircraft was loaded and the crew and passengers were ready to go when I boarded. [I] gave a brief to the purser; who was someone familiar to me; and asked if they had taken note of the placarded seat. She said they had; so we departed after completing all checklists. Logbook was properly filled out and placarded for the jumpseat; but I did not physically check the seat. Two hours into the flight we got a call that the 4R jumpseat would not retract. I asked if it had been secured retracted and was told it was not. Entered in logbook that seat was not secured in accordance with MEL. Later; [I] received another call that there was some misunderstanding. There had been an issue with a passenger seat during boarding; and the purser thought this was what I had referenced in my brief. Since I wasn't there during boarding; I was unaware of this issue and it wasn't in the logbook; and none of the flight attendants were aware of the placarded flight attendant jumpseat. Apparently; the jumpseat had been secured with tape of the same color as the seat; and the tape had come loose so the seat was available for use; but it still did not retract properly. The appropriate passenger seat had been placarded for flight attendant use; but the flight attendant manager; prior to boarding; had apparently assumed it was an unauthorized action by the flight attendants to obtain a crew rest seat; and removed the tape and placard. Hence; we departed using a placarded and malfunctioning flight attendant jumpseat. Once all this became known; the flight attendants secured the jumpseat as best they could and used the appropriate passenger seat for landing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Air Carrier Captain reports confusion among the cabin crew over a malfunctioning jumpseat that has been MEL'ed but not properly identified to the crew.

Narrative: Read logbook via computer; awaiting my commuter flight. Noted MEL 25-02c for 4R aft door Flight Attendant jumpseat no retract. MEL states that seat must be secured retracted with 'tape of a contrasting color' and that the nearest passenger seat must be reserved for the Flight Attendant; and placarded 'For Flight Attendant Use Only'. Commuter flight was 4 hours late; and I was 1.5 hours late for sign in. Aircraft was loaded and the crew and passengers were ready to go when I boarded. [I] gave a brief to the Purser; who was someone familiar to me; and asked if they had taken note of the placarded seat. She said they had; so we departed after completing all checklists. Logbook was properly filled out and placarded for the jumpseat; but I did not physically check the seat. Two hours into the flight we got a call that the 4R jumpseat would not retract. I asked if it had been secured retracted and was told it was not. Entered in logbook that seat was not secured in accordance with MEL. Later; [I] received another call that there was some misunderstanding. There had been an issue with a passenger seat during boarding; and the Purser thought this was what I had referenced in my brief. Since I wasn't there during boarding; I was unaware of this issue and it wasn't in the logbook; and none of the Flight Attendants were aware of the placarded Flight Attendant jumpseat. Apparently; the jumpseat had been secured with tape of the same color as the seat; and the tape had come loose so the seat was available for use; but it still did not retract properly. The appropriate passenger seat had been placarded for Flight Attendant use; but the Flight Attendant MANAGER; prior to boarding; had apparently assumed it was an unauthorized action by the Flight Attendants to obtain a crew rest seat; and removed the tape and placard. Hence; we departed using a placarded and malfunctioning Flight Attendant jumpseat. Once all this became known; the Flight Attendants secured the jumpseat as best they could and used the appropriate passenger seat for landing.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.