MD80 purser questions whether an elderly woman is intoxicated, after departing the gate.

Attributes
ACN	557054
Time
Date	200208
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl single value : 0
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 crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	557054
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Passenger Human Performance Company Cabin Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Cabin Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Possible intoxicated passenger. After departure from the gate, the #1 flight attendant informed me that he had a first class passenger that appeared to have been drinking prior to arriving on our flight. I must stress that neither the flight attendant nor myself have ever had any training on how to determine if a person is intoxicated. In addition, we have no test available to us for such a determination. With that said, the passenger, an elderly lady in first class, was traveling with a companion. The flight attendant asked me what to do if this passenger were to ask for an alcoholic beverage I told him to explain to her that due to the early morning departure we were not prepared to serve alcohol. As the in-flight safety coordinator, I felt that was the most prudent plan of action. This passenger never was a problem during the flight. Upon deplaning, she was very slow to gather her things and seemed oblivious to the fact that she was delaying the other passenger's departure by taking so long to gather her things. Conclusion: at no time did any of my crews see this woman consume an alcoholic beverage. She was not served any alcohol on my flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 PURSER QUESTIONS WHETHER AN ELDERLY WOMAN IS INTOXICATED, AFTER DEPARTING THE GATE.

Narrative: POSSIBLE INTOXICATED PAX. AFTER DEP FROM THE GATE, THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT INFORMED ME THAT HE HAD A FIRST CLASS PAX THAT APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN DRINKING PRIOR TO ARRIVING ON OUR FLT. I MUST STRESS THAT NEITHER THE FLT ATTENDANT NOR MYSELF HAVE EVER HAD ANY TRAINING ON HOW TO DETERMINE IF A PERSON IS INTOXICATED. IN ADDITION, WE HAVE NO TEST AVAILABLE TO US FOR SUCH A DETERMINATION. WITH THAT SAID, THE PAX, AN ELDERLY LADY IN FIRST CLASS, WAS TRAVELING WITH A COMPANION. THE FLT ATTENDANT ASKED ME WHAT TO DO IF THIS PAX WERE TO ASK FOR AN ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE I TOLD HIM TO EXPLAIN TO HER THAT DUE TO THE EARLY MORNING DEP WE WERE NOT PREPARED TO SERVE ALCOHOL. AS THE INFLT SAFETY COORDINATOR, I FELT THAT WAS THE MOST PRUDENT PLAN OF ACTION. THIS PAX NEVER WAS A PROB DURING THE FLT. UPON DEPLANING, SHE WAS VERY SLOW TO GATHER HER THINGS AND SEEMED OBLIVIOUS TO THE FACT THAT SHE WAS DELAYING THE OTHER PAX'S DEP BY TAKING SO LONG TO GATHER HER THINGS. CONCLUSION: AT NO TIME DID ANY OF MY CREWS SEE THIS WOMAN CONSUME AN ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE. SHE WAS NOT SERVED ANY ALCOHOL ON MY 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.