Date: 201811
Local time of day: 0001-0600
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Aircraft: EMB ERJ 170/175 ER/LR
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Parked
Airspace: Class B ZZZ
ATC / advisory: Tower ZZZ
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Flight Attendant (On Duty)
Reporter qualification: Flight Attendant Current
Human factors: Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Situational Awareness
Anomaly: Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Security
Detector: Person Flight Attendant
When detected: Aircraft In Service At Gate
Contributing factors: Human Factors
Primary problem: Human Factors

Narrative: I arrived to gate at XX:11 for a XX:15 report for a XY:00 departure. The gate agents stated that I could not go down to the plane because the security search was being done. I then asked when did that start and the 3 gate agents looked at me as if I was speaking in a foreign language. At XX:18 the gate agent let down my First Officer and said I still could not go down while the security search was being conducted so I then called crew scheduling to notify them as to what is going on. After hanging up the phone one of the gate agents then says to me not every aircraft get a security search. I tell her I'm very well aware that first flights of the day as well as aircrafts that were in a non-secure area receive security searches. I work this same flight serval times a month and no one has ever told me I could not be on the plane while a security search was being done. They then call someone on the phone and a fourth person comes over. They walk me down the jet bridge to 'check' and see if the security search was finished and it is now XX:25; I'm still being denied access to the aircraft. I see the time and state we will not be boarding on time. The male says excuse me and I repeated we will not be boarding on time. He says boarding is 25 mins prior to departure so I tell him my report time is XX:15 not XX:25 I have first flight of the day duties that I need to do and have a report time for a reason. You have denied me access to the aircraft at the time I was supposed to be so we will not be boarding until I'm ready and that's when I was granted access to the plane. As I'm conducting my pre-flight Captain comes and asked me if I was ready and I said no! I literally just got on the plane they are not going to rush me. When I walk back to the front of the plane there are several more people standing on the jet bridge as if they were trying to intimidate me. After the [allotted time] was up for me to charge the floor path lighting I told them I was ready. After the gate agent hands me the paper work she asked could she pull the jet bridge and I tell her no. I make my announcements and conduct the cabin count. When I return to the front to give the Captain the count; there is a slew of gate agents on the jet bridge staring me down.If not being allowed access to the aircraft during a security search is indeed procedure; it needs to be followed daily and not just a random day out of the blue. It should also be applied to all crew members. What is the difference between the pilot and I? We put our bags in the same closet.




Synopsis: Flight Attendant reported being denied access to their aircraft during a security check.