Narrative:

Shortly before departure, as passenger were boarding, the flight attendant in charge stated that a passenger had reported that another passenger was intoxicated. I instructed the flight attendant to discreetly investigate the situation and report back to me, which she did stating that she was comfortable with the passenger in question. He was sitting quietly in his assigned seat looking around. A few moments later, a gate agent supervisor came on board and stated that he would talk with the passenger in private in the jetway. He reported that while the passenger had been drinking, he appeared to be sober enough to continue. We then left atl and flew without incident to iad. While deplaning in iad, a passenger began to question our procedures stating that he was insulted by being taken aside in front of his customers, particularly since it was our airline that had furnished the beverages. I stated that safety was our highest priority and that at any time a passenger's fitness to fly is called into question it must be checked out. He left, returning to accept my explanation. This incident could be avoided or certainly reduced if airlines restr the number of alcoholic beverages served or given (via mini bottles) to passenger in their respective frequent flyer lounges.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PAX ON BOARD AN MD80 IS QUESTIONED AS TO HIS SOBRIETY BY THE CREW AND THE GATE AGENT. HE LATER, AT THE DEST ARPT, COMPLAINS TO THE CAPT ABOUT HIS EMBARRASSMENT DURING THIS PROC.

Narrative: SHORTLY BEFORE DEP, AS PAX WERE BOARDING, THE FLT ATTENDANT IN CHARGE STATED THAT A PAX HAD RPTED THAT ANOTHER PAX WAS INTOXICATED. I INSTRUCTED THE FLT ATTENDANT TO DISCREETLY INVESTIGATE THE SIT AND RPT BACK TO ME, WHICH SHE DID STATING THAT SHE WAS COMFORTABLE WITH THE PAX IN QUESTION. HE WAS SITTING QUIETLY IN HIS ASSIGNED SEAT LOOKING AROUND. A FEW MOMENTS LATER, A GATE AGENT SUPVR CAME ON BOARD AND STATED THAT HE WOULD TALK WITH THE PAX IN PVT IN THE JETWAY. HE RPTED THAT WHILE THE PAX HAD BEEN DRINKING, HE APPEARED TO BE SOBER ENOUGH TO CONTINUE. WE THEN LEFT ATL AND FLEW WITHOUT INCIDENT TO IAD. WHILE DEPLANING IN IAD, A PAX BEGAN TO QUESTION OUR PROCS STATING THAT HE WAS INSULTED BY BEING TAKEN ASIDE IN FRONT OF HIS CUSTOMERS, PARTICULARLY SINCE IT WAS OUR AIRLINE THAT HAD FURNISHED THE BEVERAGES. I STATED THAT SAFETY WAS OUR HIGHEST PRIORITY AND THAT AT ANY TIME A PAX'S FITNESS TO FLY IS CALLED INTO QUESTION IT MUST BE CHKED OUT. HE LEFT, RETURNING TO ACCEPT MY EXPLANATION. THIS INCIDENT COULD BE AVOIDED OR CERTAINLY REDUCED IF AIRLINES RESTR THE NUMBER OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES SERVED OR GIVEN (VIA MINI BOTTLES) TO PAX IN THEIR RESPECTIVE FREQUENT FLYER LOUNGES.

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.