Unstable passenger boards with autistic son and is a major trial for the cabin crew. A full flight, ...

Attributes
ACN	552922
Time
Date	200207
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tpa.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	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 airline total : 15 flight attendant time total : 15
ASRS Report	552922
Person 2
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	cabin event : passenger misconduct non adherence : far non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other other : cab 1
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

At boarding, aircraft passenger mrs X was trying to squeeze a wheelchair into aisle with her son in a car seat. I said 'the wheelchair will not fit in aisle.' so a mechanic carried the car seat to a window seat. The pilot said she seemed very strange at boarding and tried to show them her boarding pass and identify. On our first beverage service, mrs X and the man in window seat in front of mr Y got into a very loud fight and both passenger started to get up and fight each other. I said to both passenger 'that's no way to solve the problem' and moved mr Y to first class. During the flight, mrs X was very loud and rude to passenger around her. She said several times her son was autistic. After the service, I walked and held the little boy to give mrs X time to calm down. Then passenger Z in aisle seat in front of mrs X said mrs X pulled her hair and poked her with a pen. Also said she was going to spill her coffee on her head. So I moved passenger Z to aft main cabin. Mrs X said something about a lawyer so I had captain call police to meet flight. The police said mrs X does not seem stable and needs help.' the police walked her to baggage claim to tell person meeting her to not let her fly alone. As the crew left airport, mr Y came to us and told police he wanted to press charges. Mrs X should not fly on airline.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNSTABLE PAX BOARDS WITH AUTISTIC SON AND IS A MAJOR TRIAL FOR THE CABIN CREW. A FULL FLT, AND MRS X BECOMES BELLIGERENT WITH 2 PAX SEATED IN FRONT OF HER AND HER SON. POLICE MEET THE FLT AT TPA, FL.

Narrative: AT BOARDING, ACFT PAX MRS X WAS TRYING TO SQUEEZE A WHEELCHAIR INTO AISLE WITH HER SON IN A CAR SEAT. I SAID 'THE WHEELCHAIR WILL NOT FIT IN AISLE.' SO A MECH CARRIED THE CAR SEAT TO A WINDOW SEAT. THE PLT SAID SHE SEEMED VERY STRANGE AT BOARDING AND TRIED TO SHOW THEM HER BOARDING PASS AND IDENT. ON OUR FIRST BEVERAGE SVC, MRS X AND THE MAN IN WINDOW SEAT IN FRONT OF MR Y GOT INTO A VERY LOUD FIGHT AND BOTH PAX STARTED TO GET UP AND FIGHT EACH OTHER. I SAID TO BOTH PAX 'THAT'S NO WAY TO SOLVE THE PROB' AND MOVED MR Y TO FIRST CLASS. DURING THE FLT, MRS X WAS VERY LOUD AND RUDE TO PAX AROUND HER. SHE SAID SEVERAL TIMES HER SON WAS AUTISTIC. AFTER THE SVC, I WALKED AND HELD THE LITTLE BOY TO GIVE MRS X TIME TO CALM DOWN. THEN PAX Z IN AISLE SEAT IN FRONT OF MRS X SAID MRS X PULLED HER HAIR AND POKED HER WITH A PEN. ALSO SAID SHE WAS GOING TO SPILL HER COFFEE ON HER HEAD. SO I MOVED PAX Z TO AFT MAIN CABIN. MRS X SAID SOMETHING ABOUT A LAWYER SO I HAD CAPT CALL POLICE TO MEET FLT. THE POLICE SAID MRS X DOES NOT SEEM STABLE AND NEEDS HELP.' THE POLICE WALKED HER TO BAGGAGE CLAIM TO TELL PERSON MEETING HER TO NOT LET HER FLY ALONE. AS THE CREW LEFT ARPT, MR Y CAME TO US AND TOLD POLICE HE WANTED TO PRESS CHARGES. MRS X SHOULD NOT FLY ON AIRLINE.

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.

Unstable passenger boards with autistic son and is a major trial for the cabin crew. A full flight, and mrs X becomes belligerent with 2 passenger seated in front of her and her son. Police meet the flight at tpa, fl.