Liferafts / life vests most certainly were onboard
I've seen several posts saying the aircraft didnt have live vests. I'd like to clear that up about this particular aircraft. All of the CFM powered USAirways A320's, including the accident aircraft have provisions for extended overwater (EOW) flights, greater than 50NM from land This includes door slide/raft combos as well we additional rafts carried in the cabin. Had it been an aircraft from one of the non EOW subfleet. The outcome could have been not so good.
Additionally each pax seat had inflatable life vests (located under the seat bottom ) as well as the seat bottom cushon itself which floats.