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Flight attendant report of a passenger who had been smoking in the lavatory on an MD80 on frequency with ZKC.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 633504 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200410 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zkc.artcc |
| State Reference | MO |
| Environment | |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Super 80 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight attendant : on duty |
| Qualification | flight attendant : currently qualified flight attendant aircraft qualified on : 6 |
| Experience | flight attendant time airline total : 5.5 flight attendant time total : 5.5 flight attendant time type : 60 |
| ASRS Report | 633304 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : critical cabin event : passenger misconduct cabin event other non adherence : company policies non adherence : far other anomaly |
| Independent Detector | other other : 1 & 2 |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Passenger Human Performance Cabin Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Passenger Human Performance |
Narrative:
Passenger in xx decided to go to the aft (left) lavatory and smoke. When he opened the lavatory door, the smoke was all 'too' obvious. I followed him to his seat after checking out the lavatory. I asked him where he extinguished his cigarette. He said 'in his cigarette holder.' I told him that he had endangered the lives of all on board. He said he was under stress. I told him that was not acceptable and took down his information. I told him he may be subject to a fine. Does anybody care, or do we wait till a major catastrophe occurs? This issue is taken too lightly. I was flight attendant #2. I reported it to flight attendant #1, so he could inform the captain. He said, 'nothing ever happens to these people, and the last time this happened I reported it to the captain and he said if they discontinue their behavior then we do nothing.' well, of course, they had their cigarette and they said they were sorry. But if nothing happens to them -- they'll remember and next time they'll do it again and again and next time, we might not be so fortunate -- lives could be lost. Why do we waste our time on every flight during our safety demonstration, telling them that smoking in the lavatory will result in a fine if it isn't true? And so why should they listen to anything we say? This needs to have real consequences.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLT ATTENDANT RPT OF A PAX WHO HAD BEEN SMOKING IN THE LAVATORY ON AN MD80 ON FREQ WITH ZKC.
Narrative: PAX IN XX DECIDED TO GO TO THE AFT (L) LAVATORY AND SMOKE. WHEN HE OPENED THE LAVATORY DOOR, THE SMOKE WAS ALL 'TOO' OBVIOUS. I FOLLOWED HIM TO HIS SEAT AFTER CHKING OUT THE LAVATORY. I ASKED HIM WHERE HE EXTINGUISHED HIS CIGARETTE. HE SAID 'IN HIS CIGARETTE HOLDER.' I TOLD HIM THAT HE HAD ENDANGERED THE LIVES OF ALL ON BOARD. HE SAID HE WAS UNDER STRESS. I TOLD HIM THAT WAS NOT ACCEPTABLE AND TOOK DOWN HIS INFO. I TOLD HIM HE MAY BE SUBJECT TO A FINE. DOES ANYBODY CARE, OR DO WE WAIT TILL A MAJOR CATASTROPHE OCCURS? THIS ISSUE IS TAKEN TOO LIGHTLY. I WAS FLT ATTENDANT #2. I RPTED IT TO FLT ATTENDANT #1, SO HE COULD INFORM THE CAPT. HE SAID, 'NOTHING EVER HAPPENS TO THESE PEOPLE, AND THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED I RPTED IT TO THE CAPT AND HE SAID IF THEY DISCONTINUE THEIR BEHAVIOR THEN WE DO NOTHING.' WELL, OF COURSE, THEY HAD THEIR CIGARETTE AND THEY SAID THEY WERE SORRY. BUT IF NOTHING HAPPENS TO THEM -- THEY'LL REMEMBER AND NEXT TIME THEY'LL DO IT AGAIN AND AGAIN AND NEXT TIME, WE MIGHT NOT BE SO FORTUNATE -- LIVES COULD BE LOST. WHY DO WE WASTE OUR TIME ON EVERY FLT DURING OUR SAFETY DEMO, TELLING THEM THAT SMOKING IN THE LAVATORY WILL RESULT IN A FINE IF IT ISN'T TRUE? AND SO WHY SHOULD THEY LISTEN TO ANYTHING WE SAY? THIS NEEDS TO HAVE REAL CONSEQUENCES.
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.