B737-800
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical
Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition; Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem; General Declared Emergency
Aircraft
After receiving PA to prepare for landing; we received a call from Captain via telephone to prepare for possible emergency landing due to lack of flaps. Emergency Personnel on ground has been notified and preparing for our arrival we will be landing on a longer runway and coming in a lot faster than normal. Information from Captain as far as preparing was to do our 30 second review. We circled approximately 30-45 minutes. Captain made PA to passengers regarding the situation in a calm and reassuring manner. Approximately 15 minutes later we were on the ground without incident. Emergency personnel and equipment circled aircraft to check for any damage. Taxied in on our own power and deplaned passengers safely via jet bridge. However; I would like it to be noted our first aircraft we were to originally take (which we boarded all passengers) Maintenance was called after the original captain went in the forward lavatory and smelled an electrical burning smell (which intensified during inspection from Maintenance). Decision to deplane all passengers came after a period of time due to the inability of Maintenance locating a source. Original Captain asked if he should turn off electrical power. Maintenance said not necessary. However the burning smell continued to intensify as we stayed on aircraft awaiting decision. Ground Personnel informed us aircraft now out of service and they were in search of another aircraft. After a period of time; Ground Personnel informed us they found another aircraft that has maintenance issues but not as bad as the original aircraft. Our original cockpit crew were replaced with another (due to legalities) which were coming in from [another airport] in approximately 3 plus hours. Once in [our destination] and on our way to the hotel; I asked the Captain if the flaps were the original maintenance problem on this aircraft. He said no it was the anti-skid brakes. Captain said had they both failed it could have been a totally different result. Safety used to be a priority; but now I only wonder.
B737-800 Flight Attendant reports their flight experienced a flap problem which resulted in an emergency landing.