B777-200
Flight Attendant Current
Training / Qualification; Communication Breakdown; Confusion
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Maintenance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR
Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem
Aircraft; Procedure; Human Factors
Prior to departure from ZSPD; another Flight Attendant noticed that the tubing for two oxygen walk around bottles above onboard wheelchair were not connected. She asked the Maintenance Tech about connecting them but there was a language barrier. The Tech did not know how to connect the tubing. I then took the bottles out of the brackets and took them to the jetbridge. Since boarding was just about to commence; I connected the tubing to the walk around bottles and put them back in the brackets. The Purser and the Captain were advised. Our flight boarded without further input from Maintenance.Maintenance Technicians should be trained on how to connect tubing to O2 walk around bottles. Perhaps a reminder to crew members to check for tubing on preflight emergency equipment checks is needed as well. Perhaps there should even be a 'cross checker' for emergency equipment checks.
When a Flight Attendant discovered two walk around oxygen bottles without the tubing to the masks connected she was unable to get a Mechanic to correct the problem; in part because of a language problem. She; instead; attached them herself and advised the Purser and Captain.