Cabin attendant report, B727-200, iah-ord, on boarding, pushback and taxi, passenger refused to turn...

Attributes
ACN	465087
Time
Date	200001
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iah.airport
State Reference	TX
Environment
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : preflight ground : pushback ground : taxi ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Qualification	flight attendant : currently qualified
Experience	flight attendant time total : 14
ASRS Report	465087
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty oversight : flight attendant in charge
Qualification	flight attendant : currently qualified
Events
Anomaly	cabin event : passenger electronic device cabin event : passenger misconduct non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other other : cab #1
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance Company Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

While working flight xy, iah-ord, we nearly had to return to the gate to offload passenger. Mr xx seated in row X (exit row) was both defiant and non complying to flight attendant. At pushback (seatbelt sign on, electronics PA having been made), I observed mr xx still on his cell phone. Not only did he not turn it off when I asked him to, he continued to talk and even included my presence and request to turn the phone off in his conversation. He did finally turn off the phone. Both his phone conversation and back-talk to me and actions were witnessed by 2 passenger. He again ignored flight attendant instructions, by using a handheld GPS unit during taxi out. I observed mr xx using this device while doing my safety demonstration. I again asked him to stop and put it away. He was even more defiant. So I spoke to the cockpit, captain, first officer, and flight engineer about his actions. The flight engineer spoke to mr xx and reported that mr xx said he'd behave. The decision to go to ord or not was heavily weighed. We decided to go to ord rather than put out or delay the other passenger due to passenger's misconduct. The incident was to be resolved in ord, per my request. It wasn't, however - no one met the flight until it was too late, and I couldn't locate the captain in time to get his signature on a passenger misconduct form. I followed what course I could.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CABIN ATTENDANT RPT, B727-200, IAH-ORD, ON BOARDING, PUSHBACK AND TAXI, PAX REFUSED TO TURN OFF CELL PHONE AND GPS. FE WARNED HIM, BUT DID NOT HAVE HIM REMOVED.

Narrative: WHILE WORKING FLT XY, IAH-ORD, WE NEARLY HAD TO RETURN TO THE GATE TO OFFLOAD PAX. MR XX SEATED IN ROW X (EXIT ROW) WAS BOTH DEFIANT AND NON COMPLYING TO FLT ATTENDANT. AT PUSHBACK (SEATBELT SIGN ON, ELECTRONICS PA HAVING BEEN MADE), I OBSERVED MR XX STILL ON HIS CELL PHONE. NOT ONLY DID HE NOT TURN IT OFF WHEN I ASKED HIM TO, HE CONTINUED TO TALK AND EVEN INCLUDED MY PRESENCE AND REQUEST TO TURN THE PHONE OFF IN HIS CONVERSATION. HE DID FINALLY TURN OFF THE PHONE. BOTH HIS PHONE CONVERSATION AND BACK-TALK TO ME AND ACTIONS WERE WITNESSED BY 2 PAX. HE AGAIN IGNORED FLT ATTENDANT INSTRUCTIONS, BY USING A HANDHELD GPS UNIT DURING TAXI OUT. I OBSERVED MR XX USING THIS DEVICE WHILE DOING MY SAFETY DEMO. I AGAIN ASKED HIM TO STOP AND PUT IT AWAY. HE WAS EVEN MORE DEFIANT. SO I SPOKE TO THE COCKPIT, CAPT, FO, AND FE ABOUT HIS ACTIONS. THE FE SPOKE TO MR XX AND RPTED THAT MR XX SAID HE'D BEHAVE. THE DECISION TO GO TO ORD OR NOT WAS HEAVILY WEIGHED. WE DECIDED TO GO TO ORD RATHER THAN PUT OUT OR DELAY THE OTHER PAX DUE TO PAX'S MISCONDUCT. THE INCIDENT WAS TO BE RESOLVED IN ORD, PER MY REQUEST. IT WASN'T, HOWEVER - NO ONE MET THE FLT UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE, AND I COULDN'T LOCATE THE CAPT IN TIME TO GET HIS SIGNATURE ON A PAX MISCONDUCT FORM. I FOLLOWED WHAT COURSE I COULD.

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.

Cabin attendant report, B727-200, iah-ord, on boarding, pushback and taxi, passenger refused to turn off cell phone and GPS. Flight engineer warned him, but did not have him removed.