AN ACR MD80 ACFT FILLED WITH FUMES; AS RPTED BY A CABIN ATTENDANT; AND THE FLC RETURNED TO ITS DEP ARPT.

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AFTER TKOF; CABIN FILLED WITH VERY STRONG FUMES. I NOTIFIED COCKPIT. THE SMELL STAYED IN THE CABIN. MYSELF AND A LOT OF THE PAX COMPLAINED OF BURNING SENSATION IN OUR THROATS FROM THE SMELL. WE RETURNED TO DFW; AND DEPLANED PAX VIA FORWARD ENTRY DOOR. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 391777: AS WE WERE ASCENDING; THE #2 FA AND I SMELLED STRONG FUMES IN COACH CABIN. THE #1 FA CALLED BACK AND SAID THEY WERE IN FIRST CLASS ALSO. WE ALL CHECKED THE GALLEYS; LAVS AND ACFT TO FIND OUT WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM. WE KEPT IN CONTACT WITH THE CAPT. WHILE AT CRUISING ALT; THE PAX BECAME ANXIOUS AND NERVOUS BECAUSE THE FUMES DID NOT DISSIPATE. THE CAPT DECIDED TO GO BACK TO DFW AND LAND THE PLANE. UPON LNDG; WE WEREN'T SURE IF THE FUMES WERE DISSIPATING; OR WE JUST GOT USED TO THE ODOR. AFTER DEPLANING THE PAX; THE MAINT MAN CAME ON AND TOLD THE CAPT THE FUMES WERE FROM THE PAINT JOB ON THE GENERATOR OF THE NEW ENG. THE GENERATOR WAS 'FRIED' AND MELTING THE PAINT AROUND IT. (WE WERE THE FIRST FLT TO GO OUT WITH THIS NEW ENG.) THE CAPT SAID WE COULD HAVE HAD A POSSIBLE FIRE IF WE HAD GONE ALL THE WAY TO TPA. A COUPLE HRS LATER; WE HAD A NEW PLANE; BOARDED THE PAX; AND FLEW TO TPA WITHOUT INCIDENT. TWO OF THE FA'S DEPLANED IN DFW FROM EXPOSURE TO THE FUMES.