B747-400
Flight Attendant Current
Flight Attendant Airline Total 20; Flight Attendant Total 20
Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown; Confusion
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Other / Unknown
General None Reported / Taken
Equipment / Tooling; Human Factors; Procedure
FAR violation: Full meal carts left unattended without being on [floor] tie-down. Reason for this was that there were NO tie-downs on aircraft. I have never seen any of our B747s without tie-downs; so am assuming they are being removed. As per service standards in [our] Flight Attendant Manual; when cabin is full [of passengers] (it was); procedure is for Aft Purser to park two meal carts at door 5-Left (5L) and 5-Right (5R) on the tie-downs so that aisle flight attendants can serve last section of cabin. This is exactly how service standards required to do it and also the only way to accomplish service; as beverage carts have already passed the galley by the time aisle flight attendant runs out of next to last meal cart. Aisle flight attendant cannot get past beverage cart safely; so [instead]; picks up last meal cart in aft most section; usually parked on tie down. However tie-down was not present. Aft Purser had to park carts there anyway as there is no other way to accomplish service on a full [passenger] load. This is an unsafe practice that could've resulted in passenger or flight attendant injury had there been turbulence. I have no idea why tie-down was not present--I have never seen a B747 without them installed at Doors 5L/5R. I hope they are not being removed as this will most likely lead to injuries though none occurred on this flight. I will be asking supervisors if there is a program to remove tie-downs.
Reporter stated approximately ten meal carts are used when the main cabin has a full passenger load. Tie-downs are recessed into the cabin floor and will pop-up above the floor carpet in order to secure the carts during the meal service. But the tie-downs were not available at doors 5L/5R and no cutouts were visible in the floor carpet where the tie-downs should have been. Although the carts were left unattended for only ten minutes; there were concerns for passenger safety and for each other as flight attendants if the aircraft should experience turbulence. No response yet from their Air Carrier regarding the missing tie-downs.
A Flight Attendant working the aft cabin of a B747-400 aircraft reports that meal service cart tie-downs were missing at main cabin doors 5-left (5L) and 5-right (5R). Concerns raised for passenger and flight attendant safety due to carts left temporarily unattended and not tied down during meal service.