Passenger boarding on a B727-200 was disruptive because the computer had been down that morning and ...

Attributes
ACN	416030
Time
Date	199809
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Qualification	other other : other
ASRS Report	416030
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Passenger was verbally abusive to me because someone was occupying his seat. But computer had been down that morning and it was open seating. I explained this to the passenger. He said he'd be damned if he sat in a center seat for the entire flight. I told him that if he had a problem with his seat then he needed to go out to the agent. He stormed off the aircraft. The next thing I know is the agent telling me that he wanted to apologize to me because the captain was denying his boarding. I went to the cockpit and talked it over with the captain. I told him I did not have a problem with him remaining on board as long as he took any open seat and did not give us further grief. The passenger said he would not board unless he had his aisle seat. So he did not get back on. We had to wait 30 mins to retrieve his checked baggage. Then we departed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PAX BOARDING ON A B727-200 WAS DISRUPTIVE BECAUSE THE COMPUTER HAD BEEN DOWN THAT MORNING AND THE ACFT HAD OPEN SEATING. THE PAX HAD HAD AN AISLE SEAT ASSIGNMENT AND REFUSED TO SIT IN A CTR SEAT.

Narrative: PAX WAS VERBALLY ABUSIVE TO ME BECAUSE SOMEONE WAS OCCUPYING HIS SEAT. BUT COMPUTER HAD BEEN DOWN THAT MORNING AND IT WAS OPEN SEATING. I EXPLAINED THIS TO THE PAX. HE SAID HE'D BE DAMNED IF HE SAT IN A CTR SEAT FOR THE ENTIRE FLT. I TOLD HIM THAT IF HE HAD A PROB WITH HIS SEAT THEN HE NEEDED TO GO OUT TO THE AGENT. HE STORMED OFF THE ACFT. THE NEXT THING I KNOW IS THE AGENT TELLING ME THAT HE WANTED TO APOLOGIZE TO ME BECAUSE THE CAPT WAS DENYING HIS BOARDING. I WENT TO THE COCKPIT AND TALKED IT OVER WITH THE CAPT. I TOLD HIM I DID NOT HAVE A PROB WITH HIM REMAINING ON BOARD AS LONG AS HE TOOK ANY OPEN SEAT AND DID NOT GIVE US FURTHER GRIEF. THE PAX SAID HE WOULD NOT BOARD UNLESS HE HAD HIS AISLE SEAT. SO HE DID NOT GET BACK ON. WE HAD TO WAIT 30 MINS TO RETRIEVE HIS CHKED BAGGAGE. THEN WE DEPARTED.

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.

Passenger boarding on a B727-200 was disruptive because the computer had been down that morning and the aircraft had open seating. The passenger had had an aisle seat assignment and refused to situation in a center seat.