I flew on a DL A321 and A330-300 today, and it appears like that they have a unique three-tone cabin chime that I have not heard on any other airlines' Airbus aircraft. As with the hi-lo chime, the red light illuminates over the FA panel.

Is this chime to distinguish FA to FA calls from cockpit calls? I know some airlines use a green light instead of red on their Airbus aircraft to indicate FA to FA calls, reserving red exclusively for calls from the cockpit. I wonder if DL uses a different chime instead.

In the US the 3 high-lows is for an emergency.

Oftentimes (at least on my fleet) it is the FA fat fingering the EMER CALL button instead of CALL. The two are right next to each other and there's no guard on the EMER CALL button. Happens every couple of months, so far it's always been an accidental button push.

On the bus, if memory serves, red is from the FD and green is galley-to-galley calling. Light stays on until the call is canceled, then they can call another button or activate the PA.

Probably just an accidental call. Double ding would be for 10k going up and 10k going down.

bluecrew wrote:

In the US the 3 high-lows is for an emergency.

.

This isn't what I heard. It is three distinct notes, not three hi-lo chimes.

Also, the green light is a customer option and isn't universal on all Airbus aircraft. For example, in the BA fleet the ex-BMI aircraft do not have the green light. I don't think this option exists on Boeing (Boeing uses pink instead of red).

Did this occur at specific phase of flight

ikolkyo wrote:

Did this occur at specific phase of flight

Heard it once on the A321 and a few times on the A330, not at any time in particular. Both this chime and the hi-lo illuminated a red light. It's possible DL uses two different chimes to distinguish the type of call instead of two different colored lights.

1337Delta764 wrote:

I flew on a DL A321 and A330-300 today, and it appears like that they have a unique three-tone cabin chime that I have not heard on any other airlines' Airbus aircraft. As with the hi-lo chime, the red light illuminates over the FA panel.

Is this chime to distinguish FA to FA calls from cockpit calls? I know some airlines use a green light instead of red on their Airbus aircraft to indicate FA to FA calls, reserving red exclusively for calls from the cockpit. I wonder if DL uses a different chime instead.

Don't have the specific answer for Delta. I know one airline uses the High Med Low as an all call for the flight attendants, meaning the cabin manager is calling all interphones on a conference line, instead of a specific galley or jump seat. Usually this is done as a final "cabin secure ready for takeoff" call.

The different chimes are a customer option, and Airbus seems to offer quite a few. Found an example of the one I think you're referring to, plus another triple chime that is an option that precedes any PA announcement. These can be pretty airline specific, and even aircraft specific. This goes for the different colors on the area call panel lights as well. Different airlines will have different colors to indicate different calls or alarms such as the lav smoke.

Example of the High Med Low chime on a Delta 350

Example of the Low High Med PA chime on a China Eastern 330

I just learned that the Boeing 787 attendant call panel has five colored lights, while most other Boeing aircraft usually only have three (pink/blue/amber,).

These are the colors and chimes for the 787:
Solid pink with hi/lo - Cockpit call
Flashing pink with triple hi/lo - Cockpit emergency call
Solid green with hi/lo - FA to FA call
Flashing green with triple hi/lo - All call
Blue with hi - Call from passenger in seat
Amber with hi - Call from passenger in lavatory
Amber with continuous hi - Crew rest smoke
Amber with continuous hi/lo - Lavatory smoke
Red (no chime) - Sterile cockpit

In general, Boeing tends to be more consistent across airlines than Airbus when it comes to the chimes and panel lights, although with the 787 they expanded the number of lights and chime patterns.

The equivalent to the Airbus hi/med/lo on the 787 would be flashing green with triple hi/lo from what it seems.

The only and correct answer is this:

Those chimes you heard indicate a specific (incoming call) to the Lead Flight Attendant/Purser.

No need for these lengthy dissertations of irrelevant nonsense that do not accurately answer your question.

Happy Flying

bluecrew wrote:

In the US the 3 high-lows is for an emergency.

Oftentimes (at least on my fleet) it is the FA fat fingering the EMER CALL button instead of CALL. The two are right next to each other and there's no guard on the EMER CALL button. Happens every couple of months, so far it's always been an accidental button push.

On the bus, if memory serves, red is from the FD and green is galley-to-galley calling. Light stays on until the call is canceled, then they can call another button or activate the PA.

Probably just an accidental call. Double ding would be for 10k going up and 10k going down.

Are you speaking from a regulatory perspective? There is no such or particular FAR codifying what chime signals to use for any phase of flight. This is an airline specific preference, your generalization is incorrect.

RetiredNWA wrote:

The only and correct answer is this:

Those chimes you heard indicate a specific (incoming call) to the Lead Flight Attendant/Purser.

No need for these lengthy dissertations of irrelevant nonsense that do not accurately answer your question.

Happy Flying

No need for your rude response, these forums are full of lengthy dissertations that we all enjoy reading. That's the whole point.

77west wrote:

RetiredNWA wrote:

The only and correct answer is this:

Those chimes you heard indicate a specific (incoming call) to the Lead Flight Attendant/Purser.

No need for these lengthy dissertations of irrelevant nonsense that do not accurately answer your question.

Happy Flying

No need for your rude response, these forums are full of lengthy dissertations that we all enjoy reading. That's the whole point.

My response was not “rude” - it was clear, direct, concise and cuts through the irrelevant answers and “noise” created by such erroneous information and nonsense, similar to your response.

RetiredNWA wrote:

77west wrote:

RetiredNWA wrote:

The only and correct answer is this:

Those chimes you heard indicate a specific (incoming call) to the Lead Flight Attendant/Purser.

No need for these lengthy dissertations of irrelevant nonsense that do not accurately answer your question.

Happy Flying

No need for your rude response, these forums are full of lengthy dissertations that we all enjoy reading. That's the whole point.

My response was not “rude” - it was clear, direct, concise and cuts through the irrelevant answers and “noise” created by such erroneous information and nonsense, similar to your response.

Since you came from NWA, it was originally them who specified these chimes to indicate this, and DL continued to use it on post-merger Airbus aircraft.

1337Delta764 wrote:

Since you came from NWA, it was originally them who specified these chimes to indicate this, and DL continued to use it on post-merger Airbus aircraft.

You are the topic author. You posed a question you already knew the answer to? This thread is so very confusing. First, you asked a question. Then there was a lengthy dissertation about Boeing cabin call chimes and now you intimate you knew the information but still posed the question? And to be clear, I have no knowledge of what NWA and subsequently DAL ordered as call chime preferences on their fleet. My answer was intended to address your original question.

I did not “come” from NWA. I retired during the initial stages of the merger. I never wore a Delta uniform, I never “flew” for Delta. I cannot speak for anything Delta other than what the experience is as a paying passenger.

RetiredNWA wrote:

1337Delta764 wrote:

Since you came from NWA, it was originally them who specified these chimes to indicate this, and DL continued to use it on post-merger Airbus aircraft.

You are the topic author. You posed a question you already knew the answer to? This thread is so very confusing. First, you asked a question. Then there was a lengthy dissertation about Boeing cabin call chimes and now you intimate you knew the information but still posed the question? And to be clear, I have no knowledge of what NWA and subsequently DAL ordered as call chime preferences on their fleet. My answer was intended to address your original question.

I did not “come” from NWA. I retired during the initial stages of the merger. I never wore a Delta uniform, I never “flew” for Delta. I cannot speak for anything Delta other than what the experience is as a paying passenger.

I didn't know until you posted. I assumed DL inherited it from NWA but didn't know its function (the A330 I flew was an ex-NWA). Apparently, you gave me the answer.

RetiredNWA wrote:

bluecrew wrote:

In the US the 3 high-lows is for an emergency.

Oftentimes (at least on my fleet) it is the FA fat fingering the EMER CALL button instead of CALL. The two are right next to each other and there's no guard on the EMER CALL button. Happens every couple of months, so far it's always been an accidental button push.

On the bus, if memory serves, red is from the FD and green is galley-to-galley calling. Light stays on until the call is canceled, then they can call another button or activate the PA.

Probably just an accidental call. Double ding would be for 10k going up and 10k going down.

Are you speaking from a regulatory perspective? There is no such or particular FAR codifying what chime signals to use for any phase of flight. This is an airline specific preference, your generalization is incorrect.

Generally accepted procedure. 3 high lows is an emergency.

I'm sure you'll come up with something that breaks this rule, or maybe you'll tell me how the interphone on the DC-8 works.

No need to be rude.

bluecrew wrote:

RetiredNWA wrote:

bluecrew wrote:

In the US the 3 high-lows is for an emergency.

Oftentimes (at least on my fleet) it is the FA fat fingering the EMER CALL button instead of CALL. The two are right next to each other and there's no guard on the EMER CALL button. Happens every couple of months, so far it's always been an accidental button push.

On the bus, if memory serves, red is from the FD and green is galley-to-galley calling. Light stays on until the call is canceled, then they can call another button or activate the PA.

Probably just an accidental call. Double ding would be for 10k going up and 10k going down.

Are you speaking from a regulatory perspective? There is no such or particular FAR codifying what chime signals to use for any phase of flight. This is an airline specific preference, your generalization is incorrect.

Generally accepted procedure. 3 high lows is an emergency.

I'm sure you'll come up with something that breaks this rule, or maybe you'll tell me how the interphone on the DC-8 works.

No need to be rude.

3 hi/lo with pink/red is an emergency. However, from what I understand on the 787 3 hi/lo with green is an FA all call. My question is answered though, the hi/med/lo chime on the DL Airbus fleet is an FA all call. Not sure if the DL Airbus fleet has green or not. I didn't see a green light illuminate at all on the panel on my DL Airbus flights, although I don't pay full attention.

Interestingly DL retrofitted the 738 panel lights with LEDs. The pink light now actually looks pink when illuminated (Pink LEDs were not available at the time the 737NG entered service).

Airbus tends to offer more customization on the chimes and lights than Boeing. Boeing has historically been consistent across aircraft, although on the 787 Boeing expanded the number of chime and light combos.

1337Delta764 wrote:

Airbus tends to offer more customization on the chimes and lights than Boeing. Boeing has historically been consistent across aircraft, although on the 787 Boeing expanded the number of chime and light combos.

I can tell you that is not the case. Airbus is very much consistent, here is the aircraft, take it or leave it. Boeing are the ones who produce the most customizable aircraft to the customers tastes. Of course both companies will offer packages and options, like drop down LCD IFE versus CRT screens in the ceiling on late model 320s, chiller galleys etc... But Boeing remains the most customizable aircraft all around, case in point, look at all the different flavours of 767s AC had over the years including the four door 763.

It is unfair to assume that airlines post merger carry over procedures from the merged airline. Certainly during the AC/CP merger, some CP procedures and policies just went away. Forever.

AC320tech wrote:

1337Delta764 wrote:

Airbus tends to offer more customization on the chimes and lights than Boeing. Boeing has historically been consistent across aircraft, although on the 787 Boeing expanded the number of chime and light combos.

I can tell you that is not the case. Airbus is very much consistent, here is the aircraft, take it or leave it. Boeing are the ones who produce the most customizable aircraft to the customers tastes. Of course both companies will offer packages and options, like drop down LCD IFE versus CRT screens in the ceiling on late model 320s, chiller galleys etc... But Boeing remains the most customizable aircraft all around, case in point, look at all the different flavours of 767s AC had over the years including the four door 763.

It is unfair to assume that airlines post merger carry over procedures from the merged airline. Certainly during the AC/CP merger, some CP procedures and policies just went away. Forever.

I can understand this in some aspects. For example, the 739ERs have an illuminated "Wi-Fi" sign indicating when Wi-Fi is available, the A321s do not.

1337Delta764 wrote:

AC320tech wrote:

1337Delta764 wrote:

Airbus tends to offer more customization on the chimes and lights than Boeing. Boeing has historically been consistent across aircraft, although on the 787 Boeing expanded the number of chime and light combos.

I can tell you that is not the case. Airbus is very much consistent, here is the aircraft, take it or leave it. Boeing are the ones who produce the most customizable aircraft to the customers tastes. Of course both companies will offer packages and options, like drop down LCD IFE versus CRT screens in the ceiling on late model 320s, chiller galleys etc... But Boeing remains the most customizable aircraft all around, case in point, look at all the different flavours of 767s AC had over the years including the four door 763.

It is unfair to assume that airlines post merger carry over procedures from the merged airline. Certainly during the AC/CP merger, some CP procedures and policies just went away. Forever.

I can understand this in some aspects. For example, the 739ERs have an illuminated "Wi-Fi" sign indicating when Wi-Fi is available, the A321s do not.

I’ve always wondered why other airlines don’t adopt this. Although I imagine with gate to gate always on Wi-Fi, there’s less of a need for a light indicating when Wi-Fi is active.

amtravels wrote:

1337Delta764 wrote:

AC320tech wrote:

I can tell you that is not the case. Airbus is very much consistent, here is the aircraft, take it or leave it. Boeing are the ones who produce the most customizable aircraft to the customers tastes. Of course both companies will offer packages and options, like drop down LCD IFE versus CRT screens in the ceiling on late model 320s, chiller galleys etc... But Boeing remains the most customizable aircraft all around, case in point, look at all the different flavours of 767s AC had over the years including the four door 763.

It is unfair to assume that airlines post merger carry over procedures from the merged airline. Certainly during the AC/CP merger, some CP procedures and policies just went away. Forever.

I can understand this in some aspects. For example, the 739ERs have an illuminated "Wi-Fi" sign indicating when Wi-Fi is available, the A321s do not.

I’ve always wondered why other airlines don’t adopt this. Although I imagine with gate to gate always on Wi-Fi, there’s less of a need for a light indicating when Wi-Fi is active.

On many of DL's older aircraft, they repurposed the illuminated "No Smoking" signs for the Wi-Fi signs, with a non-illuminated No Smoking symbol right next to it. The 739ERs came with these signs from the factory though.

Note that on my recent flights on a 739ER and 738 there were times the Wi-Fi signs were turned off. On the 738, it wasn't turned on until the aircraft left the gate. On the 739ER it was turned off during takeoff and landing.