B737-900
Confusion; Workload; Communication Breakdown
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Security; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Other / Unknown
Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; General Police / Security Involved
Procedure; Human Factors; Company Policy
I was working Purser on above flight. Upon check in; asked the Customer Service (CS) agent if there were any Specials (ie. FAMs; WCHRs; LEOs etc); he replied no. Boarding started with First Class; when a Law Enforcement Officer (LEO) presented his paperwork to me in the First Class galley. Since the Pilots had not yet arrived; I got his info; advised him to take a seat and when the First Officers (FO) arrived I would advise. Soon after; one of the First Class passengers that had already boarded motioned me to the galley. Turns out he was a Federal Air Marshal (FAM); he presented and I verified credentials; and he was wanting to know where the LEO was seated. When the FOs boarded; they didn't know about the FAMs and LEO either. When the CS agent came down with the final paperwork; I asked him to the galley (out of passenger view) and told him that we as a crew need to know these in advance. This information was available when we checked in; so why wasn't it given to us then? His reply was; To tell us about these armed passengers would compromise security; and if I really need to know; it's all on the FINAL paperwork.
A B737 Purser reported the gate agent refused to tell her where the Law Enforcement Officer (LEO) and Federal Air Marshal (FAM) were seated on their aircraft because to do so would be a security breach.