An A320 first officer reported that an abusive passenger had to be removed by law enforcement before...

Attributes
ACN	602841
Time
Date	200312
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fll.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 6150 flight time type : 910
ASRS Report	602841
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	cabin event : passenger misconduct non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance
Primary Problem	Passenger Human Performance

Narrative:

Captain and I were working on a fueling problem on the jetway. Flight attendant came on the jetway and said that she needed me to take care of a verbally abusive passenger. Passenger continued with his complaining and the use of profanity directed at myself and at my company. I calmly explained the situation to him, but this did not calm his demeanor. After taking care of our fueling issue, which required us to totally unload all of the fuel on the aircraft, the captain and I, along with the station manager, discussed the course of action to take regarding this passenger. After talking to the flight attendant again, we collectively determined that this was, without a doubt, a 'safety of flight' issue and that we must have him removed from the terminal prior to him boarding, by law enforcement. I fully support the flight attendant's analysis of the situation since passenger exhibited this same behavior to me. This incident had the potential to escalate into an event which would interfere with a crew member's ability to perform required duties.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 FO RPTED THAT AN ABUSIVE PAX HAD TO BE REMOVED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT BEFORE PUSHBACK.

Narrative: CAPT AND I WERE WORKING ON A FUELING PROB ON THE JETWAY. FLT ATTENDANT CAME ON THE JETWAY AND SAID THAT SHE NEEDED ME TO TAKE CARE OF A VERBALLY ABUSIVE PAX. PAX CONTINUED WITH HIS COMPLAINING AND THE USE OF PROFANITY DIRECTED AT MYSELF AND AT MY COMPANY. I CALMLY EXPLAINED THE SIT TO HIM, BUT THIS DID NOT CALM HIS DEMEANOR. AFTER TAKING CARE OF OUR FUELING ISSUE, WHICH REQUIRED US TO TOTALLY UNLOAD ALL OF THE FUEL ON THE ACFT, THE CAPT AND I, ALONG WITH THE STATION MGR, DISCUSSED THE COURSE OF ACTION TO TAKE REGARDING THIS PAX. AFTER TALKING TO THE FLT ATTENDANT AGAIN, WE COLLECTIVELY DETERMINED THAT THIS WAS, WITHOUT A DOUBT, A 'SAFETY OF FLT' ISSUE AND THAT WE MUST HAVE HIM REMOVED FROM THE TERMINAL PRIOR TO HIM BOARDING, BY LAW ENFORCEMENT. I FULLY SUPPORT THE FLT ATTENDANT'S ANALYSIS OF THE SIT SINCE PAX EXHIBITED THIS SAME BEHAVIOR TO ME. THIS INCIDENT HAD THE POTENTIAL TO ESCALATE INTO AN EVENT WHICH WOULD INTERFERE WITH A CREW MEMBER'S ABILITY TO PERFORM REQUIRED DUTIES.

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.

An A320 first officer reported that an abusive passenger had to be removed by law enforcement before pushback.