Date: 201410
Local time of day: 0001-0600
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Aircraft: EMB ERJ 170/175 ER/LR
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Parked
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Flight Attendant (On Duty)
Reporter qualification: Flight Attendant Current
Human factors: Situational Awareness
Second reporter function: Flight Attendant (On Duty); Flight Attendant In Charge
Anomaly: Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Person Flight Attendant
When detected: Aircraft In Service At Gate
Result: General None Reported / Taken
Contributing factors: Human Factors; Company Policy
Primary problem: Ambiguous

Narrative: I was B Flight Attendant (FA) and had 5 adult pax in aisle with 2 infants; they had just boarded and were trying to get to their seats. 1 of the pax had another pax in his seat; that pax had someone in her seat; I was in the process of trying to figure this out when I hear the Main Cabin Door (MCD) close. I called the A FA to ask her if she closed the door; she said yes. I told her I had 4 bins open; I had 5 adult and 2 infants still in the aisle and I had not done a count; nor had I briefed my infants. She said Captain (CA) told her to close. I proceeded with my duties; then armed my doors and we continued with flight. I shared with A FA in the FAR that bins have to be closed. I also shared with her company policy the boarding complete chart. The pilots are very pushy to get that MCD closed. As a new FA they feel that pressure more do as they are told by CA and not what they were taught.


Second narrative: I was A-FA and we were informed via the gate agent and the paperwork that the flight was completely full. We were also informed by the gate agent that the computer at the gate was down so passengers were having to check in at the neighboring gate then walk to our gate to board. As passengers were boarding we began to fall behind schedule due to their inconsistent frequency of coming down the jet bridge. A lot of bags had to [be] checked planeside due to the overhead bins being full. Most of the overhead bins were closed with the exception of a few but I knew they were all full because two passengers already on board had to get back off the plane to check their rollerboards. One last family boarded the plane with just their purses and baby bags all of which could safely fit under the seat in front of them as we were approaching our time cut off. As they were in the back of the plane getting to their seats; the captain handed me the paper and told me 'Good to close.' Even though the B-FA had not brought up the count; the gate agent was standing with me and the Captain confirming that all seats were full. So I closed the main cabin door as instructed. The B-FA then calls me and says why did you close the door people were still standing in the aisle; that's a FAA violation. So I asked the Captain should I have waited until the last few passengers were seated before closing the main cabin door and he said no; people can still be standing just bags need to be stowed. So after the cabin is deemed secure; cockpit door closed; saftey demo completed and we are now inflight the B-FA  tells me that regardless of when the Captain says to close the main cabin door all passengers need to be seated and bins closed. So I referred to my manual and it does say that all bins need to be closed before closing the main cabin door; although it does not mention whether people can be standing or not. Although I knew the bins were full due to those passengers earlier having to bring their rollerboards back off the plane; going forward I will wait for the B-FA to close all bins and confirm all bags are stowed before closing the main cabin door.If I am A-FA I will wait until B-FA has closed all overhead bins confirming that all luggage is stowed and inform the Captain of such a delay of  closing the main cabin door if I am instructed to do so beforehand. If I am B-FA I will work to make sure all full bins are closed in a timely manner to allow the A-FA to close the main cabin door on time.


Synopsis: Two EMB175 flight attendants describe a delayed boarding situation where the Captain instructed the A Flight Attendant to close the door before all the passengers are seated and all the bins are closed. The B Flight Attendant objects but to no avail.