Date: 202201
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Aircraft: Commercial Fixed Wing
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Climb
Airspace: Class B ZZZ
ATC / advisory: Tower ZZZ
Aircraft component: Pressurization Control System
Component problem: Improperly Operated
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Flight Attendant (On Duty); Flight Attendant In Charge
Reporter qualification: Flight Attendant Current
Human factors: Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness; Troubleshooting
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Illness / Injury
Detector: Person Flight Attendant
When detected: In-flight
Result: Flight Crew Returned To Departure Airport; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed
Contributing factors: Aircraft; Human Factors; Procedure
Primary problem: Aircraft

Narrative: On Aircraft X on Date it presented like a normal operation day. Myself and my crew had done all of our preflight duties; secured the cabin; performed the safety demo; and sitting in the jump seat for take-off. During climb out of ZZZ just above 10 thousand feet and doing the service announcements; Captain called with normal 2 high low chimes to notify us that we were having an incident and that something was wrong with our pressurization and we would be returning to ZZZ. I asked 'Do we need to run the checklist and prepare the cabin? He replied; 'No; it'll be fine' Not questioning him I informed my C FA (Flight Attendant) who is on their second day as a line flight attendant what was going on. We sat with no communication for quite a while at least 15-20 minutes. The Captain finally got on the PA and addressed the cabin to let the passengers what was going on. At this point I called the flight deck to inform them that the cabin was sweltering hot and asked if they could put the cool air on. I did wait to call them at first as the cabin temp is not an emergent item when they were dealing with pressurization issues and our decompression. When the air started it was like all the air was sucked out of the cabin and everyone's ears started popping really bad; I was concerned that I was going to have 2 blown ear drums. When this happened; I called the pilots and said; 'Turn the air off as whatever happened just made everyone in the cabins ears blow and felt like the air is being sucked from the cabin.' The Captain's reply was 'We will fix it soon.' I then heard my B FA call from the back with the emergency 4 chimes to the pilots and picked up as well so I could be informed of what was going on in the cabin as the A FA. She told the pilots that the aft doors were whistling really bad and was concerned that they might open all together. The Captain just said again 'we will fix it soon' We had no further communication from the pilots after her call. Upon landing in ZZZ; and disarming and opening the doors the Operations Agent came on saying 'So we are just going to fuel and go' I instantly turned and went into the flight deck and said what the Operations Agent had said and that it couldn't be true that we needed Maintenance. The Captain just said I needed to leave the flight deck and close the door because he needed to make some calls. The B FA then called me and asked if we were feeling okay because she was shaken and was throwing up from the decompression. The Operations Agent then said to me that this was 'pilot error' and everyone on the ground knew already that's why we were fueling and going. At this point I stepped off the plane on the jet bridge and called Operations to have me and my FAs pulled because we were too shaken to fly and that we were all having issues with our ears; feeling dizzy and nauseous but didn't need immediate assistance. The Captain came out of the flight deck with the Station Manager and made a jubilant announcement encouraging the cabin (passengers and crew) to be excited to go without even checking on his crew. I then informed him that we were being pulled and not continuing. I stood in the galley waiting for further instructions when I heard the Captain say to the effect of 'I [messed] up' and 'I'm out of get out of jail free cards'. After everyone got off the plane the Captain then tried to smooth talk us and act concerned. Come to find out on my report the pilots never [requested priority handling] to land. I am troubled this Captain acted so nonchalantly about this decompression incident. The fact that he did not treat this incident as an emergency situation and that a [request for priority] was not claimed; is extremely alarming. Had any of the crew's eardrums ruptured; it could be a career ending event. My perception is that he was simply minimizing the seriousness of this event to avoid discipline. What other emergencies go undocumented?




Synopsis: Flight Attendant reported a cabin pressure control problem caused physiological symptoms among flight attendants and resulted in a return to the departure airport.