Narrative:

Shortly after pushback and during taxi, a passenger got out of his seat and walked to the aft galley. According to the #2 flight attendant, the passenger was confrontational and used profanity, and asked 'who the *&^% he needed to talk to, to get off the airplane.' the #2 flight attendant immediately called the forward galley. I answered the call. He told me what the passenger said and how he said it. He said the passenger got right in his face and yelled at him. I went into the cockpit immediately and informed the captain of the situation. The captain decided to return to the gate to let the passenger off. After reaching boston, we were met by flight service and asked to complete reports on the incident. Flight service informed us that the passenger told a different story when he got off and was subsequently given taxi fare to san francisco and a $1000 travel voucher for his inconvenience. In my view, he was rewarded for intimidating a crew member, interfering with a crew member's duties and causing a delay for the other 145 passenger aboard. What is the point of having regulations and laws if they are not enforced?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CABIN ATTENDANT RPT, B737-800, SJC-BOS. PAX STOOD UP ON TAXI, WENT TO AFT GALLEY, USED PROFANE LANGUAGE, WANTED TO GET OFF. CAPT RETURNED TO GATE. PAX REMOVED. AGENTS APOLOGIZED, PUT PAX ON ANOTHER FLT.

Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER PUSHBACK AND DURING TAXI, A PAX GOT OUT OF HIS SEAT AND WALKED TO THE AFT GALLEY. ACCORDING TO THE #2 FLT ATTENDANT, THE PAX WAS CONFRONTATIONAL AND USED PROFANITY, AND ASKED 'WHO THE *&^% HE NEEDED TO TALK TO, TO GET OFF THE AIRPLANE.' THE #2 FLT ATTENDANT IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE FORWARD GALLEY. I ANSWERED THE CALL. HE TOLD ME WHAT THE PAX SAID AND HOW HE SAID IT. HE SAID THE PAX GOT RIGHT IN HIS FACE AND YELLED AT HIM. I WENT INTO THE COCKPIT IMMEDIATELY AND INFORMED THE CAPT OF THE SIT. THE CAPT DECIDED TO RETURN TO THE GATE TO LET THE PAX OFF. AFTER REACHING BOSTON, WE WERE MET BY FLT SVC AND ASKED TO COMPLETE RPTS ON THE INCIDENT. FLT SVC INFORMED US THAT THE PAX TOLD A DIFFERENT STORY WHEN HE GOT OFF AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY GIVEN TAXI FARE TO SAN FRANCISCO AND A $1000 TRAVEL VOUCHER FOR HIS INCONVENIENCE. IN MY VIEW, HE WAS REWARDED FOR INTIMIDATING A CREW MEMBER, INTERFERING WITH A CREW MEMBER'S DUTIES AND CAUSING A DELAY FOR THE OTHER 145 PAX ABOARD. WHAT IS THE POINT OF HAVING REGS AND LAWS IF THEY ARE NOT ENFORCED?

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.