Narrative:

Passenger was told 3 times not to use cell phone on the aircraft by flight attendants. Third time was during final approach. He tried to hide phone behind seats low. I had to get out of my seat at 500 ft to verify and turn off phone. I was still courteous and told him I would return it when he leaves. He jumped up calling me an *&^%$*#@, etc, demand I give back the phone, threatening me and warning he would get revenge at me. At taxi in, I kept in contact with the captain by interphone and armed myself with a halon extinguisher at my jump seat because of his violent threats. During taxi in, he was standing up and then made his way to the front of the aircraft because I had given the phone to the purser to return at deplaning. The captain confronted the passenger and called security. All of my actions were very professional and courteous as I have no protection from violent passenger while in the air. The customer was politely told by flight attendant #5 then by myself a second time. The third time was at final descent so action had to be taken for the safety of the flight. The reason we are seeing people ignore cabin crew members is the airlines reward bad behavior. Passenger realize when they complain about something the airline will give them something. They know flight attendants are not backed up by their company, but used as marketing tools. The industry has taught the public that cabin crew members (flight attendants) are here to serve you and take care of your every need, not for safety like a cockpit crew member.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT ATTENDANT RPT REGARDING AN UNRULY PAX WHO USED HIS CELL PHONE DURING APCH TO LAND EVEN THOUGH HE WAS REQUESTED 3 TIMES NOT TO DO SO. CAPT CALLED SECURITY.

Narrative: PAX WAS TOLD 3 TIMES NOT TO USE CELL PHONE ON THE ACFT BY FLT ATTENDANTS. THIRD TIME WAS DURING FINAL APCH. HE TRIED TO HIDE PHONE BEHIND SEATS LOW. I HAD TO GET OUT OF MY SEAT AT 500 FT TO VERIFY AND TURN OFF PHONE. I WAS STILL COURTEOUS AND TOLD HIM I WOULD RETURN IT WHEN HE LEAVES. HE JUMPED UP CALLING ME AN *&^%$*#@, ETC, DEMAND I GIVE BACK THE PHONE, THREATENING ME AND WARNING HE WOULD GET REVENGE AT ME. AT TAXI IN, I KEPT IN CONTACT WITH THE CAPT BY INTERPHONE AND ARMED MYSELF WITH A HALON EXTINGUISHER AT MY JUMP SEAT BECAUSE OF HIS VIOLENT THREATS. DURING TAXI IN, HE WAS STANDING UP AND THEN MADE HIS WAY TO THE FRONT OF THE ACFT BECAUSE I HAD GIVEN THE PHONE TO THE PURSER TO RETURN AT DEPLANING. THE CAPT CONFRONTED THE PAX AND CALLED SECURITY. ALL OF MY ACTIONS WERE VERY PROFESSIONAL AND COURTEOUS AS I HAVE NO PROTECTION FROM VIOLENT PAX WHILE IN THE AIR. THE CUSTOMER WAS POLITELY TOLD BY FLT ATTENDANT #5 THEN BY MYSELF A SECOND TIME. THE THIRD TIME WAS AT FINAL DSCNT SO ACTION HAD TO BE TAKEN FOR THE SAFETY OF THE FLT. THE REASON WE ARE SEEING PEOPLE IGNORE CABIN CREW MEMBERS IS THE AIRLINES REWARD BAD BEHAVIOR. PAX REALIZE WHEN THEY COMPLAIN ABOUT SOMETHING THE AIRLINE WILL GIVE THEM SOMETHING. THEY KNOW FLT ATTENDANTS ARE NOT BACKED UP BY THEIR COMPANY, BUT USED AS MARKETING TOOLS. THE INDUSTRY HAS TAUGHT THE PUBLIC THAT CABIN CREW MEMBERS (FLT ATTENDANTS) ARE HERE TO SERVE YOU AND TAKE CARE OF YOUR EVERY NEED, NOT FOR SAFETY LIKE A COCKPIT CREW MEMBER.

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.