Narrative:

I had just started the dessert service in first class, when flight attendant #4 informed me that 2 passenger in coach were arguing over the seat back being placed in the reclined position and that there might be a problem. Shortly thereafter flight attendant #4 came to the first class galley to let me know that the passenger in seat xg, mr X had just threatened the passenger seated behind him in yg, mr Y. Mr X, a man in his forties, who is approximately 6 ft 2 inches and 280 pounds, said, with a clenched fist and 1 finger extended, to mr Y, an older man of about 65-70 yrs old, 'if you push my seat again I'll give you something to push about.' flight attendant #4 intervened and asked if mr X could raise his seat a little bit, because it was clearly extended beyond its usual pitch. Mr X refused and said to 'call a mechanic.' because we were full, mr Y traded seats with his wife, who was shorter, in order to avoid any further confrontation between himself and mr X. At this time, I left flight attendant #3, the first class galley flight attendant to finish the first class service. I proceeded to the back to ascertain what exactly had taken place. Coach was not quite finished picking up the meal trays. I waited until they were finished and flight attendant #4 informed me that mr X would like to speak to me. As I was finding out what had happened from the coach flight attendants, mr X came to the back to talk to me about the incident. In a very loud and boorish manner, mr X, who appeared to be drunk, called mr Y, 'a *&^%#$@&,' and a 'jerk.' I asked mr X not to use that kind of offensive language, but his vocabulary repeatedly consisted of it. I, however, listened to his side of the story and apologized for the uncomfortable surroundings. He then demanded my name and the name of the other flight attendant involved. I told him he could have my business card and reference this flight number with any future complaints. After taking note of mr X's complaint, I asked him to take his seat, because he was making me very uncomfortable with his intimidating body language. Whenever he spoke, he would lean in my face and touch me on the back, shoulder and hips. He agreed to go back to his seat, but wanted 2 more chardonnays. I told him we could not serve him any more alcohol at this time. He appeared to be drunk and smelled of liquor. I also told him that he could not confront passenger in a threatening manner or we would possibly have to land at the nearest location and have him removed, or have the local auths meet him in london. Refusing to take the situation seriously, he laughed and said, 'I'd love to land in shannon, I'd love to go to jail, I'd love to be on the news,' and 'I'd love to sue your airline.' he also said he frequently writes our airline complaint letters to obtain free travel vouchers. I again told him I would be happy to bring him my business card and that he was free to write to our airline about this situation. At this time, mr X became more agreeable and said that there was no problem and returned to his seat after being served a coke. However, mr X was sitting next to mr Z in xf. Unfortunately, the flight crew was not aware of one of these two passenger had brought on 3 liters of gin, which they hid from us and subsequently consumed during the flight. During the flight mr X kept returning to coach galley for cokes and to hassle the flight attendants with what he believed to be comic antics, but the crew found to be intimidating. I came back to check on the situation. Mr X placed his arms around me telling me there was no problem. I asked him not to touch me, but he kept on hugging me. I also told him he better not be drinking any alcohol. He said he was not, and once again returned to his seat with his coke. Approximately 1 1/2 hours before landing, mr X returned to the galley and this time wanted alcohol. The coach flight attendants once again called me, as they began to become increasingly afraid and frustrated by this passenger and did not know what to do with him. I went to the back and overheard the flight attendants refuse to serve him alcohol. I heard mr X say: 'there would be&^%$ for you to pay if I don't get a drink or an explanation as to why I can't have one.' I interjected and told mr X threatening remarks of any kind would not be tolerated here and reminded him that he and I already had agreed he wouldn't be drinking any more on this flight. He said that was fine and wanted to write all of this down on his piece of paper so he could sue our airline. He harassed and disrupted the flight attendants in the back, by insisting I come to see how far his seat back could go. I once again went back to him. This time I informed him that local auths would definitely be meeting him, along with representatives from passenger service, upon arrival, and that we could continue our conversation at that time, because I had things to do to ensure our aircraft landed safely. As we prepared for landing, flight attendant #4 discovered the 3 empty liters of gin and was told by the passenger sitting in xc, ms X, that mr X and mr Z had been drinking from them the entire flight. Flight attendant #4 confiscated the bottles and turned them into the local auths on arrival. Passenger X also continued to recline his seat back on landing to show everyone how far it could go back. He also coerced mr Z into pushing his seat back. Even after the police detained and consequently arrested both mr Z and mr X, mr X did not take the situation seriously and continued to believe our airline would be compensating him in the long run. Flight attendant #3 and flight attendant #4 and myself provided the police with eyewitness reports. This procedure detained the entire crew for 2 hours after our arrival. The crew, however, did a wonderful job handling mr X, working together to resolve a tense situation, and cooperating graciously with the local auths. Our captain, xx, also proved to be a great leader and coordinator with both the crew and ground staff to ultimately obtain our safe arrival in london. In the end, passenger X clearly demonstrated a report to the company, threatening and intimidating passenger and crew members, interfering with crew member's duties and responsibilities, and drinking alcoholic beverages not served by a crew member, which created an alcohol related disturbance in-flight. I certainly hope mr X is not invited back to fly on our airlines or in any way compensated for his stay in a london jail cell.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CABIN ATTENDANT RPT, A300, BOS-LHR. FIGHT BTWN 2 PAX OVER SEAT RECLINING, ONE BECAME THREATENING, VERBALLY ABUSIVE, DRINKING OUT OF OWN GIN BOTTLES, POLICE ARREST.

Narrative: I HAD JUST STARTED THE DESSERT SVC IN FIRST CLASS, WHEN FLT ATTENDANT #4 INFORMED ME THAT 2 PAX IN COACH WERE ARGUING OVER THE SEAT BACK BEING PLACED IN THE RECLINED POS AND THAT THERE MIGHT BE A PROB. SHORTLY THEREAFTER FLT ATTENDANT #4 CAME TO THE FIRST CLASS GALLEY TO LET ME KNOW THAT THE PAX IN SEAT XG, MR X HAD JUST THREATENED THE PAX SEATED BEHIND HIM IN YG, MR Y. MR X, A MAN IN HIS FORTIES, WHO IS APPROX 6 FT 2 INCHES AND 280 LBS, SAID, WITH A CLENCHED FIST AND 1 FINGER EXTENDED, TO MR Y, AN OLDER MAN OF ABOUT 65-70 YRS OLD, 'IF YOU PUSH MY SEAT AGAIN I'LL GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO PUSH ABOUT.' FLT ATTENDANT #4 INTERVENED AND ASKED IF MR X COULD RAISE HIS SEAT A LITTLE BIT, BECAUSE IT WAS CLRLY EXTENDED BEYOND ITS USUAL PITCH. MR X REFUSED AND SAID TO 'CALL A MECH.' BECAUSE WE WERE FULL, MR Y TRADED SEATS WITH HIS WIFE, WHO WAS SHORTER, IN ORDER TO AVOID ANY FURTHER CONFRONTATION BTWN HIMSELF AND MR X. AT THIS TIME, I LEFT FLT ATTENDANT #3, THE FIRST CLASS GALLEY FLT ATTENDANT TO FINISH THE FIRST CLASS SVC. I PROCEEDED TO THE BACK TO ASCERTAIN WHAT EXACTLY HAD TAKEN PLACE. COACH WAS NOT QUITE FINISHED PICKING UP THE MEAL TRAYS. I WAITED UNTIL THEY WERE FINISHED AND FLT ATTENDANT #4 INFORMED ME THAT MR X WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO ME. AS I WAS FINDING OUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED FROM THE COACH FLT ATTENDANTS, MR X CAME TO THE BACK TO TALK TO ME ABOUT THE INCIDENT. IN A VERY LOUD AND BOORISH MANNER, MR X, WHO APPEARED TO BE DRUNK, CALLED MR Y, 'A *&^%#$@&,' AND A 'JERK.' I ASKED MR X NOT TO USE THAT KIND OF OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE, BUT HIS VOCABULARY REPEATEDLY CONSISTED OF IT. I, HOWEVER, LISTENED TO HIS SIDE OF THE STORY AND APOLOGIZED FOR THE UNCOMFORTABLE SURROUNDINGS. HE THEN DEMANDED MY NAME AND THE NAME OF THE OTHER FLT ATTENDANT INVOLVED. I TOLD HIM HE COULD HAVE MY BUSINESS CARD AND REF THIS FLT NUMBER WITH ANY FUTURE COMPLAINTS. AFTER TAKING NOTE OF MR X'S COMPLAINT, I ASKED HIM TO TAKE HIS SEAT, BECAUSE HE WAS MAKING ME VERY UNCOMFORTABLE WITH HIS INTIMIDATING BODY LANGUAGE. WHENEVER HE SPOKE, HE WOULD LEAN IN MY FACE AND TOUCH ME ON THE BACK, SHOULDER AND HIPS. HE AGREED TO GO BACK TO HIS SEAT, BUT WANTED 2 MORE CHARDONNAYS. I TOLD HIM WE COULD NOT SERVE HIM ANY MORE ALCOHOL AT THIS TIME. HE APPEARED TO BE DRUNK AND SMELLED OF LIQUOR. I ALSO TOLD HIM THAT HE COULD NOT CONFRONT PAX IN A THREATENING MANNER OR WE WOULD POSSIBLY HAVE TO LAND AT THE NEAREST LOCATION AND HAVE HIM REMOVED, OR HAVE THE LCL AUTHS MEET HIM IN LONDON. REFUSING TO TAKE THE SIT SERIOUSLY, HE LAUGHED AND SAID, 'I'D LOVE TO LAND IN SHANNON, I'D LOVE TO GO TO JAIL, I'D LOVE TO BE ON THE NEWS,' AND 'I'D LOVE TO SUE YOUR AIRLINE.' HE ALSO SAID HE FREQUENTLY WRITES OUR AIRLINE COMPLAINT LETTERS TO OBTAIN FREE TRAVEL VOUCHERS. I AGAIN TOLD HIM I WOULD BE HAPPY TO BRING HIM MY BUSINESS CARD AND THAT HE WAS FREE TO WRITE TO OUR AIRLINE ABOUT THIS SIT. AT THIS TIME, MR X BECAME MORE AGREEABLE AND SAID THAT THERE WAS NO PROB AND RETURNED TO HIS SEAT AFTER BEING SERVED A COKE. HOWEVER, MR X WAS SITTING NEXT TO MR Z IN XF. UNFORTUNATELY, THE FLC WAS NOT AWARE OF ONE OF THESE TWO PAX HAD BROUGHT ON 3 LITERS OF GIN, WHICH THEY HID FROM US AND SUBSEQUENTLY CONSUMED DURING THE FLT. DURING THE FLT MR X KEPT RETURNING TO COACH GALLEY FOR COKES AND TO HASSLE THE FLT ATTENDANTS WITH WHAT HE BELIEVED TO BE COMIC ANTICS, BUT THE CREW FOUND TO BE INTIMIDATING. I CAME BACK TO CHK ON THE SIT. MR X PLACED HIS ARMS AROUND ME TELLING ME THERE WAS NO PROB. I ASKED HIM NOT TO TOUCH ME, BUT HE KEPT ON HUGGING ME. I ALSO TOLD HIM HE BETTER NOT BE DRINKING ANY ALCOHOL. HE SAID HE WAS NOT, AND ONCE AGAIN RETURNED TO HIS SEAT WITH HIS COKE. APPROX 1 1/2 HRS BEFORE LNDG, MR X RETURNED TO THE GALLEY AND THIS TIME WANTED ALCOHOL. THE COACH FLT ATTENDANTS ONCE AGAIN CALLED ME, AS THEY BEGAN TO BECOME INCREASINGLY AFRAID AND FRUSTRATED BY THIS PAX AND DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH HIM. I WENT TO THE BACK AND OVERHEARD THE FLT ATTENDANTS REFUSE TO SERVE HIM ALCOHOL. I HEARD MR X SAY: 'THERE WOULD BE&^%$ FOR YOU TO PAY IF I DON'T GET A DRINK OR AN EXPLANATION AS TO WHY I CAN'T HAVE ONE.' I INTERJECTED AND TOLD MR X THREATENING REMARKS OF ANY KIND WOULD NOT BE TOLERATED HERE AND REMINDED HIM THAT HE AND I ALREADY HAD AGREED HE WOULDN'T BE DRINKING ANY MORE ON THIS FLT. HE SAID THAT WAS FINE AND WANTED TO WRITE ALL OF THIS DOWN ON HIS PIECE OF PAPER SO HE COULD SUE OUR AIRLINE. HE HARASSED AND DISRUPTED THE FLT ATTENDANTS IN THE BACK, BY INSISTING I COME TO SEE HOW FAR HIS SEAT BACK COULD GO. I ONCE AGAIN WENT BACK TO HIM. THIS TIME I INFORMED HIM THAT LCL AUTHS WOULD DEFINITELY BE MEETING HIM, ALONG WITH REPRESENTATIVES FROM PAX SVC, UPON ARR, AND THAT WE COULD CONTINUE OUR CONVERSATION AT THAT TIME, BECAUSE I HAD THINGS TO DO TO ENSURE OUR ACFT LANDED SAFELY. AS WE PREPARED FOR LNDG, FLT ATTENDANT #4 DISCOVERED THE 3 EMPTY LITERS OF GIN AND WAS TOLD BY THE PAX SITTING IN XC, MS X, THAT MR X AND MR Z HAD BEEN DRINKING FROM THEM THE ENTIRE FLT. FLT ATTENDANT #4 CONFISCATED THE BOTTLES AND TURNED THEM INTO THE LCL AUTHS ON ARR. PAX X ALSO CONTINUED TO RECLINE HIS SEAT BACK ON LNDG TO SHOW EVERYONE HOW FAR IT COULD GO BACK. HE ALSO COERCED MR Z INTO PUSHING HIS SEAT BACK. EVEN AFTER THE POLICE DETAINED AND CONSEQUENTLY ARRESTED BOTH MR Z AND MR X, MR X DID NOT TAKE THE SIT SERIOUSLY AND CONTINUED TO BELIEVE OUR AIRLINE WOULD BE COMPENSATING HIM IN THE LONG RUN. FLT ATTENDANT #3 AND FLT ATTENDANT #4 AND MYSELF PROVIDED THE POLICE WITH EYEWITNESS RPTS. THIS PROC DETAINED THE ENTIRE CREW FOR 2 HRS AFTER OUR ARR. THE CREW, HOWEVER, DID A WONDERFUL JOB HANDLING MR X, WORKING TOGETHER TO RESOLVE A TENSE SIT, AND COOPERATING GRACIOUSLY WITH THE LCL AUTHS. OUR CAPT, XX, ALSO PROVED TO BE A GREAT LEADER AND COORDINATOR WITH BOTH THE CREW AND GND STAFF TO ULTIMATELY OBTAIN OUR SAFE ARR IN LONDON. IN THE END, PAX X CLRLY DEMONSTRATED A RPT TO THE COMPANY, THREATENING AND INTIMIDATING PAX AND CREW MEMBERS, INTERFERING WITH CREW MEMBER'S DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES, AND DRINKING ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES NOT SERVED BY A CREW MEMBER, WHICH CREATED AN ALCOHOL RELATED DISTURBANCE INFLT. I CERTAINLY HOPE MR X IS NOT INVITED BACK TO FLY ON OUR AIRLINES OR IN ANY WAY COMPENSATED FOR HIS STAY IN A LONDON JAIL CELL.

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.