Date: 201810
Aircraft: Commercial Fixed Wing
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Cruise; Landing
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Flight Attendant (On Duty)
Reporter qualification: Flight Attendant Current
Human factors: Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness; Confusion
Anomaly: Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Security; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Other / Unknown
Detector: Person Flight Attendant
When detected: In-flight
Result: Flight Crew Diverted
Contributing factors: Company Policy; Human Factors; Procedure
Primary problem: Procedure

Narrative: 30 minute inflight I was informed that we had to put everything away because we were landing in 10 minutes. No reason was given by the cockpit. The crew was not informed as to whether we needed to prepare the cabin for an emergency or to know what to expect on landing. Passengers were inquiring about what was going on but I had no information to relay. No announcements were made to the passengers. After landing it took approximately 20 minutes before the first announcement was made about the situation and where we landed. We parked in a remote area (cargo area). The Captain made an announcement that the airport was shut down and that there were no personnel to bring a stairway to the airplane nor a bus to transport passenger to the terminal. The earliest that the airport would be open and personnel availability would not be until approximately 2 hours from the current time. We tried to make the passengers as comfortable a possible by doing our meal service and drink service while we waited for help. While on the ground an announcement was made to disarm doors. I did as instructed but was not aware at the time that we did not have airstairs pulled up the airplane yet. The Captain was asked if we should disarm the door or keep them armed do to the fact that we do not have airstairs for deplaning in an emergency. The crew was concerned that this was not standard protocol if an emergency situation should arise. The Captain informed us to keep the doors disarmed. Eventually the airstairs were connected to the airplane. After some time had passed (approximately 2 hours after landing) passengers were asking what was the status and why there has not been any update in the situation. I went to the front of the airplane to inquire. The Purser advise me that the cockpit was busy; she is trying to get an update for the passengers. [Company] showed up with the stairs; spoke to Captain and Purser. 30 minutes later the Captain spoke to me in the galley told me that he and the FO (First Officer) were leaving so they can get legal rest and ask me to make an announcement that the pilots were leaving and ground [personnel] was going to take care of the passengers. Captain ask me to make announcement after he left the plane. The [Company Agent] left with the pilots and we had no ground personnel. Leaving us with 160 passengers. The flight attendants were left with a plane full of passengers without any means of communicating with anyone outside of the airplane. There was no way to get anyone's attention or assistance in the event of an emergency. We were held on the airplane for an additional hour (3 hours in total) without much information. The only communication we had was through one employee who was called into the airport to help. He would [come] periodically with whatever information he had to give us. Once the bus got to the plane; passengers deplaned; we asked [about] the wheelchair passengers. We had no access to lift; only option was to carry our wheelchair passenger down the stairs. The flight attendants carried the passenger down the stairs.




Synopsis: Air carrier Flight Attendant reported a diversion led to a lack of communication from flight crew and passengers remained onboard the aircraft 3 hours after landing with little to no information.