MULTIPLE PLT RPT; DC9-50; MSP-ROC. CAPT TOOK OFF WITHOUT FAA MINIMUM OF 3 CABIN ATTENDANTS DUE TO LACK OF COM BTWN DISPATCH; GATE; CABIN ATTENDANT AND CAPT.

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I'M AN OPERATING EXPERIENCE STUDENT ON A NEW JOB WITH A MAJOR AIRLINE. MY FIRST FLT ON A DC9-50 REQUIRES 3 FLT ATTENDANTS. WE DEPARTED WITH ONLY 2 ON BOARD. THE CAPT BRIEFED THE LEAD FLT ATTENDANT AND TOLD HIM TO ADVISE WHEN THE THIRD CREW MEMBER ARRIVED. THIS NEVER HAPPENED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THAT THEY WERE SCHEDULED TO FLY FROM MINNEAPOLIS TO ROCHESTER AND RETURN TO MINNEAPOLIS. THEY HAD 17 PAX ON BOARD. HE BELIEVES THE COM BROKE DOWN IN 4 STAGES: IT STARTED WITH THE LATE FLT ATTENDANT; THE INFLT OFFICE NOT TELLING THE GATE AGENT ABOUT HER TARDINESS; THE CABIN ATTENDANTS NOT TELLING THE GATE AGENT NOT TO CLOSE THE FRONT DOOR AND THE CAPT PUSHING BACK BEFORE HE ASCERTAINED WHETHER THE MISSING FLT ATTENDANT HAD MADE IT. HE ALSO BELIEVES THAT BECAUSE HE; HIMSELF; WAS NEW; THAT HE AND THE CAPT BECAME TOTALLY DISTR IN ORIENTING HIM TO THE AIRPLANE. HE WAS TOLD LATER BY THE CAPT THAT THIS WAS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT AT THEIR AIRLINE; THAT IT HAPPENED HUNDREDS OF TIMES. THE REMAINING 2 FLT ATTENDANTS WERE REALLY UPSET ABOUT THE SIT. ON THE RETURN TO MINNEAPOLIS; THEY PICKED UP A FLT ATTENDANT WHO WAS SCHEDULED TO DEADHEAD AND CONVERTED HER TO WORK. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 461535: NOTE: THIRD FLT ATTENDANT WAS LATE INBOUND FROM ANOTHER FLT; FROM WHAT DISPATCH TOLD ME.