Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Other / Unknown; Inflight Event / Encounter Other / Unknown
General None Reported / Taken
Aircraft
Violated 2 possibly 3 FAR's: 1. Blocked own jumpseat with parked service carts. Official procedure is to park 2 half carts each at 1L and 1R blocking 1L aft and 1R jumpseat. Also must park beverage cart in cross aisle blocking 1 Center L and 1 Center R jumpseat. Service lasts approximately 3 to 4.5 hours due to extent of service and number of passengers. 2. Three of 5 parked carts are unattended (unsecured-there are no tie-downs) during service. By definition each aisle flight attendant can only attend 1 cart each. Galley flight attendant and purser are setting up and breaking down 3 tier carts in galley therefore not able to attend and position either of the unsecured parked carts. Had to violate FAR's to accomplish. Approximately 2 hours into flight experienced moderate turbulence and Captain instructed all flight attendants to take seats/suspend service. We pushed all half carts into galley moved beverage cart to side so that all 4 flight attendants could take seats. All 4 half carts rolled around in galley due to flaws in braking systems. This is the case with ALL of the half carts and most food and beverage carts on reconfigured 767's as well. Half cart brake only works if pushed backwards: they will roll forward and sideways with brake set. One half cart started rolling down aisle toward cabin. I and Flight Attendant in 1L aft had to physically hold onto carts to keep them from leaving galley. I have video of this phenomenon. Luckily no one was hurt. Three possible FAR violations: could not deploy all 4 required restraints for cart positions 3L or R/F and 311 R/F. If rear restraints deployed front restraints cannot be deployed: will not fit. Only deployed front restraints.
A Flight Attendant working in First Class reports that possibly 3 FAR's were violated during cabin service in cruise flight because of malfunctioning and unsecured serving carts during turbulence.