MD80 COMPRESSOR STALL ON TKOF IN INCLEMENT WX CONDITIONS MANDATES A RETURN LAND AT ORD; IL.

Narrative

AFTER SITTING ON THE RWY FOR APPROX 3 HRS WITH PAX BECAUSE OF WX CONDITIONS IN CHICAGO (WE WERE DEICED 2 TIMES); THE CAPT FINALLY SAID WE COULD TAKE OFF. WHILE WE WERE ROLLING DOWN THE RWY; ALL SEEMED NORMAL; BUT SECONDS AFTER LIFTOFF THERE WERE 2 LOUD BANGS. THE SOUNDS CAME FROM THE ENG AREA ON ACFT R. ABOUT 1 MIN AFTER THAT; I SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. FLT ATTENDANT #2 IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE COCKPIT. EITHER THE COCKPIT COULD NOT HEAR HER; OR SHE COULD NOT HEAR THEM; SO SHE ASKED ME (FLT ATTENDANT #4) TO CALL AND INFORM THE CAPT AGAIN. I EXPLAINED THAT WE HEARD 2 VERY LOUD BANGS AND WE NOW SMELLED SOMETHING. HE TOLD ME THAT WE WERE GOING TO TURN AROUND AND GO BACK. THE CAPT CAME ON THE PA SYS TO INFORM THE PAX OF THE SIT. UNFORTUNATELY; THE PA SYS WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY SO NEITHER THE PAX NOR THE FLT ATTENDANTS IN THE MAIN CABIN COULD HEAR WHAT HE WAS SAYING. THE PAX WERE CONFUSED AND FRIGHTENED. THEY KEPT ASKING US WHAT WAS GOING ON. WE EXPLAINED WHAT THE CAPT HAD TOLD ME ON THE INTERPHONE. THAT WE WERE TURNING BACK TO CHICAGO AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE. THIS WAS PROBABLY THE MOST DISTURBING FOR US FLT ATTENDANTS. IF WE NEEDED TO EVAC ON THE GND; WE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO HEAR ANYTHING THE CAPT WAS SAYING. THIS WAS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. LUCKILY; WE LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. LATER; THE PLT SAID WE HAD A COMPRESSOR STALL; HE THOUGHT. HE ALSO CALLED IN ABOUT THE PA SYS.