A321
Flight Attendant Current
Communication Breakdown; Distraction; Training / Qualification; Workload
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Passenger Misconduct
Human Factors; Environment - Non Weather Related; Company Policy; Staffing
Before boarding our college football charter flight we did not have a Charter Coordinator. Having done several charters over the years; this was the first time I had had this happen. Only one other Flight Attendant and I had ever done charters; all the others were reserves. The experienced [Flight] Attendant had worked a football charter for the same team recently and said that the coaches and Athletic Department VIPs would have alcohol available on board. I have done several football charters but no other school had alcohol on them. She also said to 'expect' that the coaches would gather in the back galley and drink for the entire flight--which they did. They NEVER left the aft galley regardless of the services we were trying to do. One of the coaches wanted to plug his phone into our outlet and was told by one of the Flight Attendant's that the voltage could 'fry' his phone. He then went into the Lav and plugged it into the outlet there. I told him I would have to unplug it before takeoff. He then asked for the first of three mixed vodka drinks he would have before takeoff. In First Class the Charter Coordinator gave us a 5 minute briefing which included telling us he had purchased a half gallon bottle of expensive vodka for the Athletic Director's wife and whatever she didn't drink she was allowed to take home with her. There was very little information about the service itself to be done. The coordinator was not flying the charter with us; but advised another individual would be acting as our Charter Coordinator. When it became clear that the Coach in question was going to ask for more alcohol; I asked the experienced [Flight] Attendant if there were any limits on alcohol consumption on this flight for the coaches. She didn't know and said to ask the temporary Charter Coordinator; which I did. All the conversations were held very quietly in a galley away from the group as I didn't know if--being a charter--the rules regarding alcohol were significantly different from other mainline flights. I got no specific answer other than to be told who the security person was and what I can only describe as a personnel director. What I did NOT know was that the replacement Charter Coordinator had informed the coaches of my question and all of a sudden the coaches' attitudes towards me changed like a haboob descending. I was then treated as a pariah. The Security Director was in the galley for the whole flight as well and asked the attendants who was receiving any alcoholic drink which was being delivered into the cabin. This was; clearly; so that no alcohol was being served to a player. The five coaches in the aft galley drank 2 cases of beer between them and hard liquor as well. The Coach about whom I had spoken to the replacement Coordinator had a minimum of 9 beers/ and or cocktails in the course of the flight and those were only the ones I knew about. Several coaches asked for booze to go as well. Please let me know whatever information your department has that is pertinent to this situation. We realize that many rules are slackened for charters but; in speaking with the replacement Coordinator after the fact on our way back; he said that in nine years of doing college football charters the question had never come up. He then compared the trips to a NASCAR charter where they got so drunk that one of the people threw up on a flight attendant's shoes. I asked him who he thought would be responsible if the fellow who drank all those drinks got in an accident after our service and he said that the responsibility would be the college's and not us (Air Carrier) for having served him. Perhaps lack of procedural knowledge would fit; however; I'm not certain I've ever been faced with the situation; so I am unsure of the cause.Flight attendant's need concrete information regarding a situation with seemingly no rules or limits at all. We were going by the seat of our pants; as it were. If I am completely out of line on this; please let me know. The replacement Coordinator--unfortunately but by no means maliciously--by telling the coaches I had asked; made the flight very awkward for me for having asked him a question I assumed as a Charter Coordinator that he would have known.
A Flight Attendant reported difficulties his crew encountered controlling the alcohol consumption and behavior of coaches and Athletic Department VIPs during a charter flight for a major college football team. The reporter cited a lack of administrative direction with respect to acceptable deviations from normal line flight policy in such matters.