Airport terminal security questioned by aci on ramp check.

Attributes
ACN	272044
Time
Date	199405
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 2200
ASRS Report	272044
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	observation : air carrier inspector
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Airport
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

We were on a gate hold for ord. We were actually supposed to have departed, however, with the gate hold we were delayed 2 hours. We believed the WX causing the delay was dissipating and the hold would be lifted and we could be released at any time. While walking off the airplane, I walked past a man who was standing in the jetway looking back towards the gate area. The gate doors were open, I thought maybe this man was a passenger and they were boarding (he didn't have an identify). However, he just didn't seem right. I returned to the airplane, thinking I'll find out if we're boarding. I did, however, stop in the lavatory. The gentleman stepped onto the airplane and the flight attendant, knowing we weren't boarding, asked if she could help him. He showed his identify and said he was looking for the guy that just walked in. She asked 'the first officer?' he didn't know. I heard this and came out of the lavatory and asked him for an identify. He was FAA and said, before I saw him, he had been outside. I believe poor communication on boarding and the gate agent's relaxed attitude toward the jetway was a problem. We called the gate agent to explain the situation and she was very 'flippant' about the situation, exclaiming 'now what, I'm too busy for this.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARPT TERMINAL SECURITY QUESTIONED BY ACI ON RAMP CHK.

Narrative: WE WERE ON A GATE HOLD FOR ORD. WE WERE ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO HAVE DEPARTED, HOWEVER, WITH THE GATE HOLD WE WERE DELAYED 2 HRS. WE BELIEVED THE WX CAUSING THE DELAY WAS DISSIPATING AND THE HOLD WOULD BE LIFTED AND WE COULD BE RELEASED AT ANY TIME. WHILE WALKING OFF THE AIRPLANE, I WALKED PAST A MAN WHO WAS STANDING IN THE JETWAY LOOKING BACK TOWARDS THE GATE AREA. THE GATE DOORS WERE OPEN, I THOUGHT MAYBE THIS MAN WAS A PAX AND THEY WERE BOARDING (HE DIDN'T HAVE AN IDENT). HOWEVER, HE JUST DIDN'T SEEM RIGHT. I RETURNED TO THE AIRPLANE, THINKING I'LL FIND OUT IF WE'RE BOARDING. I DID, HOWEVER, STOP IN THE LAVATORY. THE GENTLEMAN STEPPED ONTO THE AIRPLANE AND THE FLT ATTENDANT, KNOWING WE WEREN'T BOARDING, ASKED IF SHE COULD HELP HIM. HE SHOWED HIS IDENT AND SAID HE WAS LOOKING FOR THE GUY THAT JUST WALKED IN. SHE ASKED 'THE FO?' HE DIDN'T KNOW. I HEARD THIS AND CAME OUT OF THE LAVATORY AND ASKED HIM FOR AN IDENT. HE WAS FAA AND SAID, BEFORE I SAW HIM, HE HAD BEEN OUTSIDE. I BELIEVE POOR COM ON BOARDING AND THE GATE AGENT'S RELAXED ATTITUDE TOWARD THE JETWAY WAS A PROB. WE CALLED THE GATE AGENT TO EXPLAIN THE SIT AND SHE WAS VERY 'FLIPPANT' ABOUT THE SIT, EXCLAIMING 'NOW WHAT, I'M TOO BUSY FOR THIS.'

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.