Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Attendant Current
Communication Breakdown
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Other / Unknown
General None Reported / Taken
Company Policy; Human Factors
All flight attendants were in forward cabin with the Captain while he was providing us with his safety briefing. Gate agents sent passengers down 2 minutes early. Crew noticed passengers were boarding the aircraft at Door 2L with no FAs at the door. This is a violation of FAR 121.394 flight attendant requirements during passenger boarding. It states: 'the flight attendants must be evenly distributed throughout the airplane cabin; in the vicinity of the floor-level exits to provide the most effective assistance in the event of an emergency.' This seems to be happening quite frequently. Evidently customer service agents have been given a directive to 'board 2 minutes early' regardless if the flight attendants are ready or agree with it (which we do not).
Passengers started boarding before the flight attendants were ready for them.