ACR LGT DEP IAH AND FLEW AN EXTENDED OVER WATER OPERATION WITH NO LIFE JACKETS IN THE PASSENGER CABIN. A PASSENGER DETECTED THE PROBLEM SHORTLY BEFORE ARR.

Narrative

DURING CRUISE A PAX NOTICED THAT SHE HAD NO LIFE VEST UNDER HER SEAT. SHE MADE A POINT OF THIS TO THE OTHER PAXS. THEY ALSO HAD NONE. ON ARR IN MCO I INVENTORIED THE ACFT AND FOUND NO VESTS. WE WERE FLYING AN ACFT WHICH CAME TO US FROM ANOTHER CARRIER. IT HAD NUMEROUS THINGS DIFFERENT FROM OUR STANDARD ACFT. IN THE COCKPIT THE FLT DIRECTOR; RADIOS; NAV CONTROLS AND COCKPIT LAYOUT ARE DIFFERENT. IN THE CABIN THE SEATING AND EMER EQUIP LOCATIONS ARE DIFFERENT. THE COCKPIT HAD VESTS AND DEMO VESTS WERE ALSO ON BOARD. IF YOU LOOKED UNDER THE SEATS THE LIFE VEST POUCHES ARE THERE AND THEY HANG DOWN ENOUGH TO APPEAR FILLED. HOWEVER; WHEN YOU FEEL EACH POUCH THEY WERE ALL EMPTY. AS THE CAPT I ASSUMED: 1) THAT VESTS WERE ABOARD; 2) THAT THE S/O WOULD CHK THE EMER EQUIP; 3) THAT THE F/A WOULD CHK THE EMER EQUIP. SOMEHOW THE VESTS WERE OVERLOOKED; EVEN THOUGH AND INVENTORY OF SLIDES; FIRST AID KITS AND FIRE EXTINGUISHERS WAS ACCOMPLISHED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 82079. UPON LNDG AT MCO WE DISCOVERED THAT THE AFT PORTION OF THE ACFT WAS MISSING SEVERAL VESTS. DURING MY INTERIOR PREFLT INSPECTION EVERY ROW I INSPECTED HAD LIFE VESTS. THE POCKETS UNDER THE SEATS APPEAR TO HAVE VESTS IN THEM EVEN THOUGH THEY MAY BE EMPTY.