Flight Attendant Current
Situational Awareness
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR
General None Reported / Taken
Aircraft
We got the aircraft today out of ZZZZ. Since it was the first time I was on it; and I was #3; the mid-galley Flight Attendant (F/A); I was concerned about finding galley items. Even though I had read the warnings about the jumpseat harnesses; I did not think to check it out until it was time to sit for take-off. I did do all of my pre-flight safety checks using my LINK. This harness reminds me of the straps on the old pumpkin seats we used for infants in the 70's. The lap belt as advertised was too short; only barely fitting. The right shoulder harness would not slap back so that it was tight across my shoulder. I couldn't move in a way that would make it lock tight across my shoulder. I did not feel confident it would really hold me in an emergency. I did write it up to the pilots. There is NO excuse for our harnesses to ever be anything more than perfect. Everything else can be second rate; but not them. I do not feel that this airplane is safe flying around as it is. Other F/A's mentioned that theirs had the same issue. This airplane needs to be taken out of service to have all harnesses replaced. Our old harnesses worked just fine. These need to be completely discontinued. Another consideration is that whether or not you fit in a specific jumpseat harness for take-off is not the only consideration. You may be nowhere near your own jumpseat while working the flight and told to be seated by the flight deck. You then take out whatever is available and your life may depend on whether a harness is too short.
The reporter stated that the seatbelt issue started when the B777-200 fleet was configured to an updated style cabin. The reporter stated that these seatbelts are separate lap-belt harness configuration. The reporter stated that the company put out a memo stating that some seatbelts may not fit everyone and they should select a seat that configures to each individual; which doesn't make sense because of seating assignments. The reporter stated that the seatbelt on the assigned seat was too small; and did not allow any freedom of movement. The reporter also stated that this is a safety issue because the seatbelts are difficult to put on because; in an emergency; you don't always have a choice which seat to sit in.
B777 Flight Attendant reported the seat belt was inadequate for safety reasons.