Narrative:

I was in the aft portion of the aircraft when passenger were boarding. After a few mins, an odor of alcohol began to filter through the cabin area. I checked to see if it was the passenger sitting near the galley, but it was not. I began to walk to the front of the aircraft, noticing along the way the odor getting stronger. I mentioned to the other 2 flight attendants that either my nose was beginning to be real sensitive, or we have some inebriated passenger on board. They agreed there was a penetrating odor. At that time the captain heard my comment, and said that he would not be interested in dealing with people who had been drinking. I decided I better check one more time. As I passed by XXX seats, the passenger appeared to have a stare that caused me to stop and ask if they needed anything. They said no and apologized for bothering me. I turned to go back to the front and notify the #1 flight attendant that I would recommend passenger in seats XXX not have any alcohol. She agreed. I again walked past seats XXX, I noticed the alcohol odor again, and noticed they had the same stare. I made my way back to main cabin to turn back and notify the captain of the situation. I explained the situation after which he decided that he had better talk with them. The couple met the captain on the jetbridge at which time he gave strict instructions regarding behavior while on board, that they will not be served any more alcohol, and that drinking and taking medication is dangerous. They agreed. As they turned to go back to their seats, the gentleman swayed in his walk as the captain and I stood by. At that time the captain went to get the agent. The agent spoke with the passenger, and gave their assurance that they would not cause a problem. Unfortunately, the captain was still uneasy, and the agent called company to gain direction. Again, the decision was left to the captain. He appeared very uneasy to take the passenger. At that time I advised the captain of my concern, which was the lady was drinking and taking medication, would be on an airplane for 3 1/2 hours at FL330. I mentioned to him that complications could arise midair, and then we would really be in a fix! I said I was not comfortable with that idea. At that time, the captain made his decision to have them removed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT ATTENDANT RPT REGARDING THE BOARDING OF AN MD80 WITH 2 INTOXICATED PAX WHO SMELLED STRONGLY OF ALCOHOL. FLT ATTENDANT SPOKE TO THEM AND THEY HAD A STRANGE STARE WHICH LED THE FLT ATTENDANT TO BELIEVE THEY MIGHT ALSO BE ON DRUGS OR SOME KIND OF MEDICATION. AFTER DISCUSSION WITH THE CAPT AND COMPANY, THEY WERE REMOVED FROM THE FLT.

Narrative: I WAS IN THE AFT PORTION OF THE ACFT WHEN PAX WERE BOARDING. AFTER A FEW MINS, AN ODOR OF ALCOHOL BEGAN TO FILTER THROUGH THE CABIN AREA. I CHKED TO SEE IF IT WAS THE PAX SITTING NEAR THE GALLEY, BUT IT WAS NOT. I BEGAN TO WALK TO THE FRONT OF THE ACFT, NOTICING ALONG THE WAY THE ODOR GETTING STRONGER. I MENTIONED TO THE OTHER 2 FLT ATTENDANTS THAT EITHER MY NOSE WAS BEGINNING TO BE REAL SENSITIVE, OR WE HAVE SOME INEBRIATED PAX ON BOARD. THEY AGREED THERE WAS A PENETRATING ODOR. AT THAT TIME THE CAPT HEARD MY COMMENT, AND SAID THAT HE WOULD NOT BE INTERESTED IN DEALING WITH PEOPLE WHO HAD BEEN DRINKING. I DECIDED I BETTER CHK ONE MORE TIME. AS I PASSED BY XXX SEATS, THE PAX APPEARED TO HAVE A STARE THAT CAUSED ME TO STOP AND ASK IF THEY NEEDED ANYTHING. THEY SAID NO AND APOLOGIZED FOR BOTHERING ME. I TURNED TO GO BACK TO THE FRONT AND NOTIFY THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT THAT I WOULD RECOMMEND PAX IN SEATS XXX NOT HAVE ANY ALCOHOL. SHE AGREED. I AGAIN WALKED PAST SEATS XXX, I NOTICED THE ALCOHOL ODOR AGAIN, AND NOTICED THEY HAD THE SAME STARE. I MADE MY WAY BACK TO MAIN CABIN TO TURN BACK AND NOTIFY THE CAPT OF THE SIT. I EXPLAINED THE SIT AFTER WHICH HE DECIDED THAT HE HAD BETTER TALK WITH THEM. THE COUPLE MET THE CAPT ON THE JETBRIDGE AT WHICH TIME HE GAVE STRICT INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING BEHAVIOR WHILE ON BOARD, THAT THEY WILL NOT BE SERVED ANY MORE ALCOHOL, AND THAT DRINKING AND TAKING MEDICATION IS DANGEROUS. THEY AGREED. AS THEY TURNED TO GO BACK TO THEIR SEATS, THE GENTLEMAN SWAYED IN HIS WALK AS THE CAPT AND I STOOD BY. AT THAT TIME THE CAPT WENT TO GET THE AGENT. THE AGENT SPOKE WITH THE PAX, AND GAVE THEIR ASSURANCE THAT THEY WOULD NOT CAUSE A PROB. UNFORTUNATELY, THE CAPT WAS STILL UNEASY, AND THE AGENT CALLED COMPANY TO GAIN DIRECTION. AGAIN, THE DECISION WAS LEFT TO THE CAPT. HE APPEARED VERY UNEASY TO TAKE THE PAX. AT THAT TIME I ADVISED THE CAPT OF MY CONCERN, WHICH WAS THE LADY WAS DRINKING AND TAKING MEDICATION, WOULD BE ON AN AIRPLANE FOR 3 1/2 HRS AT FL330. I MENTIONED TO HIM THAT COMPLICATIONS COULD ARISE MIDAIR, AND THEN WE WOULD REALLY BE IN A FIX! I SAID I WAS NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THAT IDEA. AT THAT TIME, THE CAPT MADE HIS DECISION TO HAVE THEM REMOVED.

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.