Flight Attendant Current
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Other / Unknown
General None Reported / Taken
Company Policy; Procedure; Manuals
I was scheduled to deadhead to work a one leg flight. Upon arriving; I immediately went to the departure gate which was across the hall. I was met by the Passenger Agent and Captain; who informed me that they had already boarded and were ready to go as soon as we (another deadheading flight attendant and I) were settled. I walked on the aircraft; introduced myself to the Lead and proceeded aft to stow my belongings. Once I was back there; I realized that there were no other flight attendants on board. I approached the Lead and asked where the boarding flight attendants were and she stated they had a deadhead flight to get to. I had a discussion in my recurrent training last year that addressed this scenario. I was advised that if there are through passengers only one Flight Attendant is needed since those passengers have been briefed on the safety equipment. However; once you have boarded the flight attendants must stay on the aircraft since the new passengers have not yet been briefed on the safety equipment. I don't believe anyone was aware of this besides me.I believe Operations shouldn't board a flight unless they are certain the boarding crew can stay until the other crew arrives. I also feel there needs to be more training on this with flight attendants; flight deck; and Operations; as I don't think anyone else realized this was an issue.
A flight attendant who had deadheaded to work a flight boarded the outbound airplane to find passengers had already been boarded despite having fewer than the required number of flight attendants on board.