Narrative:

At approximately XA50 (during boarding) a passenger boarded the aircraft and appeared to be intoxicated. I looked at flight attendant #7, who was directing passenger to their seats, and commented to him that the male passenger seemed intoxicated. I looked down the aisle to see him stagger into a bulkhead wall. Several mins later, I walked to the coach galley to retrieve some supplies. As I was walking by his seat with flight attendant #5, I smelled alcohol. I looked at the passenger and he had a styrofoam cup which appeared to be scotch or bourbon. He was also slumped in his seat next to his wife. I immediately reported the situation to flight attendant #1, who immediately reported to the gate agents. The gate agents thought the passenger was ok when they spoke with him and delaying the matter. I then spoke with the captain, which resulted in removal of the passenger and a 15 min delay. About 2 hours into the flight, the captain received word that the passenger was put on another flight (45 mins later). I believe the entire issue of the gate agents not removing the passenger immediately, resulted in making myself, the captain, and other flight attendants look like they showed poor judgement, and delaying the flight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CABIN ATTENDANT RPT, MD11P, MIA-EZE, CAPT HAD INTOXICATED PAX REMOVED ON BOARDING. AIRLINE PUT PAX ON ANOTHER FLT LEAVING 45 MINS LATER.

Narrative: AT APPROX XA50 (DURING BOARDING) A PAX BOARDED THE ACFT AND APPEARED TO BE INTOXICATED. I LOOKED AT FLT ATTENDANT #7, WHO WAS DIRECTING PAX TO THEIR SEATS, AND COMMENTED TO HIM THAT THE MALE PAX SEEMED INTOXICATED. I LOOKED DOWN THE AISLE TO SEE HIM STAGGER INTO A BULKHEAD WALL. SEVERAL MINS LATER, I WALKED TO THE COACH GALLEY TO RETRIEVE SOME SUPPLIES. AS I WAS WALKING BY HIS SEAT WITH FLT ATTENDANT #5, I SMELLED ALCOHOL. I LOOKED AT THE PAX AND HE HAD A STYROFOAM CUP WHICH APPEARED TO BE SCOTCH OR BOURBON. HE WAS ALSO SLUMPED IN HIS SEAT NEXT TO HIS WIFE. I IMMEDIATELY RPTED THE SIT TO FLT ATTENDANT #1, WHO IMMEDIATELY RPTED TO THE GATE AGENTS. THE GATE AGENTS THOUGHT THE PAX WAS OK WHEN THEY SPOKE WITH HIM AND DELAYING THE MATTER. I THEN SPOKE WITH THE CAPT, WHICH RESULTED IN REMOVAL OF THE PAX AND A 15 MIN DELAY. ABOUT 2 HRS INTO THE FLT, THE CAPT RECEIVED WORD THAT THE PAX WAS PUT ON ANOTHER FLT (45 MINS LATER). I BELIEVE THE ENTIRE ISSUE OF THE GATE AGENTS NOT REMOVING THE PAX IMMEDIATELY, RESULTED IN MAKING MYSELF, THE CAPT, AND OTHER FLT ATTENDANTS LOOK LIKE THEY SHOWED POOR JUDGEMENT, AND DELAYING THE FLT.

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.