Flight attendant report relating to an MD80 passenger who is suspected of being drunk but is allowed...

Attributes
ACN	597657
Time
Date	200310
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sfo.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty oversight : flight attendant in charge
Qualification	flight attendant : currently qualified flight attendant aircraft qualified on : 3
Experience	flight attendant time airline total : 19 flight attendant time total : 19 flight attendant time type : 90
ASRS Report	597657
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Events
Anomaly	cabin event : passenger misconduct non adherence : company policies non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : pax 2
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Cabin Crew Human Performance Company Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

During boarding, a passenger told me that the man in the aisle who was delaying boarding was very drunk. At first I thought it was a joke. When I realized it wasn't, I notified captain of what I learned, but that I would check out the situation. I did not get the name or seat number of passenger who gave information. I asked flight attendant #4 if he had been told, he said yes, the intoxicated passenger was in first class. As I approached him, he was 'passed out.' I awoke him and asked if he needed anything. He said a bloody mary. I immediately knew he was intoxicated. I informed captain who told me to tell agent. I did. She said she had to call supervisor. Supervisor came to jetbridge. I advised her of situation, she then pulled mr X off airplane onto jetbridge. Captain was standing out there as well. After 2 or 3 mins, passenger came back on airplane and sat down. Supervisor told me he did not smell of alcohol, which I already knew. She said he was on anti-depressants. I know that anti-depressants do not cause someone to slur his words or make his eyes swim. I told her and captain that I knew he was intoxicated. I was overruled by both. I wonder if supervisor wasn't influenced by passenger being 'frequent flyer.' also during flight passenger asked for alcohol even though he was advised by supervisor that we would not serve him any. Flight ended, captain told me I was right.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT ATTENDANT RPT RELATING TO AN MD80 PAX WHO IS SUSPECTED OF BEING DRUNK BUT IS ALLOWED TO STAY ON BOARD IF DRINKS ARE NOT SERVED TO HIM AFTER A CONSULTATION WITH THE GATE SUPVR AT SFO, CA.

Narrative: DURING BOARDING, A PAX TOLD ME THAT THE MAN IN THE AISLE WHO WAS DELAYING BOARDING WAS VERY DRUNK. AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS A JOKE. WHEN I REALIZED IT WASN'T, I NOTIFIED CAPT OF WHAT I LEARNED, BUT THAT I WOULD CHK OUT THE SIT. I DID NOT GET THE NAME OR SEAT NUMBER OF PAX WHO GAVE INFO. I ASKED FLT ATTENDANT #4 IF HE HAD BEEN TOLD, HE SAID YES, THE INTOXICATED PAX WAS IN FIRST CLASS. AS I APCHED HIM, HE WAS 'PASSED OUT.' I AWOKE HIM AND ASKED IF HE NEEDED ANYTHING. HE SAID A BLOODY MARY. I IMMEDIATELY KNEW HE WAS INTOXICATED. I INFORMED CAPT WHO TOLD ME TO TELL AGENT. I DID. SHE SAID SHE HAD TO CALL SUPVR. SUPVR CAME TO JETBRIDGE. I ADVISED HER OF SIT, SHE THEN PULLED MR X OFF AIRPLANE ONTO JETBRIDGE. CAPT WAS STANDING OUT THERE AS WELL. AFTER 2 OR 3 MINS, PAX CAME BACK ON AIRPLANE AND SAT DOWN. SUPVR TOLD ME HE DID NOT SMELL OF ALCOHOL, WHICH I ALREADY KNEW. SHE SAID HE WAS ON ANTI-DEPRESSANTS. I KNOW THAT ANTI-DEPRESSANTS DO NOT CAUSE SOMEONE TO SLUR HIS WORDS OR MAKE HIS EYES SWIM. I TOLD HER AND CAPT THAT I KNEW HE WAS INTOXICATED. I WAS OVERRULED BY BOTH. I WONDER IF SUPVR WASN'T INFLUENCED BY PAX BEING 'FREQUENT FLYER.' ALSO DURING FLT PAX ASKED FOR ALCOHOL EVEN THOUGH HE WAS ADVISED BY SUPVR THAT WE WOULD NOT SERVE HIM ANY. FLT ENDED, CAPT TOLD ME I WAS RIGHT.

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.

Flight attendant report relating to an MD80 passenger who is suspected of being drunk but is allowed to stay on board if drinks are not served to him after a consultation with the gate supervisor at sfo, ca.