Regional Jet 200 ER/LR (CRJ200)
Flight Attendant Current
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Smoke / Fire / Fumes / Odor
Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport
Aircraft
About 3 minutes after wheels up I saw smoke in the AFT of the cabin. Right when I saw the smoke coming out from under the seats I got out of my jumpseat pushed the emergency button advised the flight deck that I had smoke filling the cabin then hung up.  [I then] stowed my jumpseat; got the Halon 1211 and PBE and went back to where smoke was coming out from under the seats. Upon running to where the smoke was coming from I saw that smoke [had] started coming from under the seats in not only the AFT of the aircraft; but now MID aircraft. I then got down in the aisle moved passenger's small carry on items that were under their seats out of the way and started looking for the cause of the smoke and feeling with the back of my hands for hot spots on the fuselage just in case it happened to be a hidden fire. After not being able to feel any heat and the smoke got so thick I got back up as the flight deck was calling me to check on the passenger's; myself; and condition of the cabin and also advising that we would be landing very shortly. I then advised them that it started to clear out a little bit from what I could see. I then had passenger's advising me that they could smell burning rubber and wood. Due to not seeing any flames I did not use the Halon 1211 or the PBE. I then took my jumpseat as we were close to the ground and preparing for landing. When we made it safely on the ground fire trucks met the aircraft on the runway to inspect it. We then taxied to the gate and deplaned the passenger's and awaited an aircraft to be ferried for us to continue on to our destination. Reason for the event is unknown I was never told exactly what the smoke was from other than the things they thought it was.
CRJ200 Flight Attendant describes a cabin smoke event about three minutes after takeoff and the subsequent return to the departure airport.