Narrative:

En route to new york, I was the purser and called and notified by interphone that a passenger had smoked in the aft lavatory. I immediately went aft and found him standing outside lavatory and about 4 flight attendants near him. I introduced myself and asked him what the problem was. He said 'they (flight attendants) think I was smoking in the lavatory.' I asked him if it was true and he denied it and said 'you can't prove it.' he smelled of smoke and also the lavatory. I explained the rules and the consequences for not complying. He became very argumentative and finally admitted and showed me his cigarettes. I took them and told him to return to his seat, fasten his belt and remain there. The male flight attendant repeated my directive and the passenger slowly returned to business class and fell asleep. This passenger, I was informed, had a number of alcoholic drinks and his speech was slow and a bit slurred. It was obvious that the rules didn't apply to him. After the incident, I also learned that this passenger was annoyed earlier because his wife was in coach and we wouldn't just move her up. He also asked if he could have a puff and was obviously told no. He was not a citizen and didn't much care about our rules. Later, the air marshals informed me that if he was not a united states citizen there was nothing we could do to fine him or prosecute.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767-200 CABIN ATTENDANTS FOUND FOREIGN PAX HAD SMOKED IN LAVATORY AND WAS RESISTIVE TO BE SEATED. ALSO, SMELLED OF SMOKE AND ALCOHOL AND RESISTED BEING SEATED.

Narrative: ENRTE TO NEW YORK, I WAS THE PURSER AND CALLED AND NOTIFIED BY INTERPHONE THAT A PAX HAD SMOKED IN THE AFT LAVATORY. I IMMEDIATELY WENT AFT AND FOUND HIM STANDING OUTSIDE LAVATORY AND ABOUT 4 FLT ATTENDANTS NEAR HIM. I INTRODUCED MYSELF AND ASKED HIM WHAT THE PROB WAS. HE SAID 'THEY (FLT ATTENDANTS) THINK I WAS SMOKING IN THE LAVATORY.' I ASKED HIM IF IT WAS TRUE AND HE DENIED IT AND SAID 'YOU CAN'T PROVE IT.' HE SMELLED OF SMOKE AND ALSO THE LAVATORY. I EXPLAINED THE RULES AND THE CONSEQUENCES FOR NOT COMPLYING. HE BECAME VERY ARGUMENTATIVE AND FINALLY ADMITTED AND SHOWED ME HIS CIGARETTES. I TOOK THEM AND TOLD HIM TO RETURN TO HIS SEAT, FASTEN HIS BELT AND REMAIN THERE. THE MALE FLT ATTENDANT REPEATED MY DIRECTIVE AND THE PAX SLOWLY RETURNED TO BUSINESS CLASS AND FELL ASLEEP. THIS PAX, I WAS INFORMED, HAD A NUMBER OF ALCOHOLIC DRINKS AND HIS SPEECH WAS SLOW AND A BIT SLURRED. IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THE RULES DIDN'T APPLY TO HIM. AFTER THE INCIDENT, I ALSO LEARNED THAT THIS PAX WAS ANNOYED EARLIER BECAUSE HIS WIFE WAS IN COACH AND WE WOULDN'T JUST MOVE HER UP. HE ALSO ASKED IF HE COULD HAVE A PUFF AND WAS OBVIOUSLY TOLD NO. HE WAS NOT A CITIZEN AND DIDN'T MUCH CARE ABOUT OUR RULES. LATER, THE AIR MARSHALS INFORMED ME THAT IF HE WAS NOT A UNITED STATES CITIZEN THERE WAS NOTHING WE COULD DO TO FINE HIM OR PROSECUTE.

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.