Narrative:

According to the flight attendants, once we left the gate, passenger sitting in first class got up to go to the bathroom. During this time, the #1 flight attendant noticed that his first class passenger count did not match his paperwork. After confirming all passenger, passenger came out of the lavatory and took a seat in first class. The #4 flight attendant checked the paperwork and noted the passenger belonged in coach. He brought this to the attention of the passenger who hotly denied that he belonged in coach. He insisted that he had paid the agent $100-$150 for an upgrade to first. It was at this point that the #4 flight attendant noticed the alcohol on passenger's breath. This information was relayed to me and I contacted mia operations to confirm. I was told that passenger was, in fact, assigned coach, plus he was a standby passenger. I instructed the flight attendants to require passenger to return to coach, for him to cooperate totally with the flight attendants, and to serve him no liquor during the flight. He was not happy, made that fact known, but returned to coach. Prior to landing, passenger required that a management type meet the aircraft so he might log a formal complaint. During the entire event, passenger was treated with respect. The exchange on the taxiway resulted in a 10 min delay for takeoff. We came very close to returning to the gate and leaving him at mia.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD-80 CAPT RPTED BEHAVIOR OF A COACH PAX WHO 'UPGRADED' HIMSELF TO FIRST CLASS UNTIL THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT INFORMED THE CAPT DURING TAXI OUT FOR DEP FROM MIA.

Narrative: ACCORDING TO THE FLT ATTENDANTS, ONCE WE LEFT THE GATE, PAX SITTING IN FIRST CLASS GOT UP TO GO TO THE BATHROOM. DURING THIS TIME, THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT NOTICED THAT HIS FIRST CLASS PAX COUNT DID NOT MATCH HIS PAPERWORK. AFTER CONFIRMING ALL PAX, PAX CAME OUT OF THE LAVATORY AND TOOK A SEAT IN FIRST CLASS. THE #4 FLT ATTENDANT CHKED THE PAPERWORK AND NOTED THE PAX BELONGED IN COACH. HE BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTN OF THE PAX WHO HOTLY DENIED THAT HE BELONGED IN COACH. HE INSISTED THAT HE HAD PAID THE AGENT $100-$150 FOR AN UPGRADE TO FIRST. IT WAS AT THIS POINT THAT THE #4 FLT ATTENDANT NOTICED THE ALCOHOL ON PAX'S BREATH. THIS INFO WAS RELAYED TO ME AND I CONTACTED MIA OPS TO CONFIRM. I WAS TOLD THAT PAX WAS, IN FACT, ASSIGNED COACH, PLUS HE WAS A STANDBY PAX. I INSTRUCTED THE FLT ATTENDANTS TO REQUIRE PAX TO RETURN TO COACH, FOR HIM TO COOPERATE TOTALLY WITH THE FLT ATTENDANTS, AND TO SERVE HIM NO LIQUOR DURING THE FLT. HE WAS NOT HAPPY, MADE THAT FACT KNOWN, BUT RETURNED TO COACH. PRIOR TO LNDG, PAX REQUIRED THAT A MGMNT TYPE MEET THE ACFT SO HE MIGHT LOG A FORMAL COMPLAINT. DURING THE ENTIRE EVENT, PAX WAS TREATED WITH RESPECT. THE EXCHANGE ON THE TXWY RESULTED IN A 10 MIN DELAY FOR TKOF. WE CAME VERY CLOSE TO RETURNING TO THE GATE AND LEAVING HIM AT MIA.

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.