A B737 crew, while at the gate in mroc, were informed by the purser that a passenger, who appeared t...

Attributes
ACN	562525
Time
Date	200208
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mroc.airport
State Reference	FO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
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	562525
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	cabin event : passenger misconduct non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : lcl agent 5
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Flight Crew Human Performance Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

Prior to boarding passenger, my purser advised me that he had been advised by one of the local agents that we had a passenger who appeared to be intoxicated attempting to board the flight. I asked the purser and the #2 flight attendant to go talk to this individual and see for themselves. They both came back to say the passenger was indeed intoxicated and was obviously so to even the most casual observer. However, they stated the lead agent wished to board this passenger anyway. I, therefore, got up, went out to the boarding lounge and asked to speak with the lead agent. I explained to her that FARS prohibited the boarding of intoxicated individuals and that this passenger is not to board this flight. I explained that I trusted in the assessment from my flight attendants and that it was not necessary to have a blood test to determine drunkenness. His obvious appearance of intoxication was enough and I reiterated he was not going to fly with us today. Later, during the boarding process, my flight attendants informed me the intoxicated passenger was boarded anyway, stumbling and slurring how he did not think he would be able to find his seat. I asked to speak with the lead agent again. She explained this time that she had spoken with management and that they had told her it was alright to board this individual. I again explained to her it was not alright with me and that we would not be departing until he was removed. The passenger was subsequently removed from the airplane and his checked bag removed from the cargo hold.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737 CREW, WHILE AT THE GATE IN MROC, WERE INFORMED BY THE PURSER THAT A PAX, WHO APPEARED TO BE INTOXICATED, WAS ATTEMPTING TO BOARD THE FLT. THE CAPT HAD THE PAX AND HIS BAGS REMOVED FROM THE ACFT.

Narrative: PRIOR TO BOARDING PAX, MY PURSER ADVISED ME THAT HE HAD BEEN ADVISED BY ONE OF THE LCL AGENTS THAT WE HAD A PAX WHO APPEARED TO BE INTOXICATED ATTEMPTING TO BOARD THE FLT. I ASKED THE PURSER AND THE #2 FLT ATTENDANT TO GO TALK TO THIS INDIVIDUAL AND SEE FOR THEMSELVES. THEY BOTH CAME BACK TO SAY THE PAX WAS INDEED INTOXICATED AND WAS OBVIOUSLY SO TO EVEN THE MOST CASUAL OBSERVER. HOWEVER, THEY STATED THE LEAD AGENT WISHED TO BOARD THIS PAX ANYWAY. I, THEREFORE, GOT UP, WENT OUT TO THE BOARDING LOUNGE AND ASKED TO SPEAK WITH THE LEAD AGENT. I EXPLAINED TO HER THAT FARS PROHIBITED THE BOARDING OF INTOXICATED INDIVIDUALS AND THAT THIS PAX IS NOT TO BOARD THIS FLT. I EXPLAINED THAT I TRUSTED IN THE ASSESSMENT FROM MY FLT ATTENDANTS AND THAT IT WAS NOT NECESSARY TO HAVE A BLOOD TEST TO DETERMINE DRUNKENNESS. HIS OBVIOUS APPEARANCE OF INTOXICATION WAS ENOUGH AND I REITERATED HE WAS NOT GOING TO FLY WITH US TODAY. LATER, DURING THE BOARDING PROCESS, MY FLT ATTENDANTS INFORMED ME THE INTOXICATED PAX WAS BOARDED ANYWAY, STUMBLING AND SLURRING HOW HE DID NOT THINK HE WOULD BE ABLE TO FIND HIS SEAT. I ASKED TO SPEAK WITH THE LEAD AGENT AGAIN. SHE EXPLAINED THIS TIME THAT SHE HAD SPOKEN WITH MGMNT AND THAT THEY HAD TOLD HER IT WAS ALRIGHT TO BOARD THIS INDIVIDUAL. I AGAIN EXPLAINED TO HER IT WAS NOT ALRIGHT WITH ME AND THAT WE WOULD NOT BE DEPARTING UNTIL HE WAS REMOVED. THE PAX WAS SUBSEQUENTLY REMOVED FROM THE AIRPLANE AND HIS CHKED BAG REMOVED FROM THE CARGO HOLD.

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.

A B737 crew, while at the gate in mroc, were informed by the purser that a passenger, who appeared to be intoxicated, was attempting to board the flight. The captain had the passenger and his bags removed from the aircraft.