Flight crew of A319 is chagrined to learn on arrival in lax they had carried 2 unescorted prisoners ...

Attributes
ACN	646178
Time
Date	200502
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A319
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
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	646178
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	cabin event other non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : company policies
Independent Detector	other other : 3
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Passenger Human Performance Cabin Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

Arriving at lax; the aircraft was met by law enforcement officials. When the cabin door was opened; the captain solicited information from the officials who said they needed to remove some unescorted prisoners from the airplane prior to anyone else deplaning. The procedure was handled smoothly and the prisoners were escorted away without incident. The captain was not informed about the prisoners at any time during the flight until their removal from the aircraft. The prisoners' origin was pdx. It is unconfirmed whether the prisoners were ever escorted aboard either flight. The identify of the prisoners was discovered by the flight attendant working in the aft galley; who noticed their similar attire. The prisoners' demeanor was pleasant; but she nonetheless informed the purser. Obviously; there was a problem with customer service and law enforcement in this case. However; it was especially disconcerting to discover in debrief that the purser and other flight attendants knew of this and failed to inform the captain. Additionally; the purser seemed reluctant to debrief on this major communications failure and presented a brusque and apathetic attitude about the entire matter. Clearly; there was a violation of security policy; as well as; I am sure; many others. It is disconcerting that this could happen; and we are extremely fortunate there were not any incidents as a result.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF A319 IS CHAGRINED TO LEARN ON ARR IN LAX THEY HAD CARRIED 2 UNESCORTED PRISONERS WITHOUT NOTIFICATION BY THE COMPANY. EVEN MORE UPSET TO LEARN THAT PURSER DISCOVERED THE COM BREAKDOWN AND FAILED TO NOTIFY THE FLT CREW ENRTE.

Narrative: ARRIVING AT LAX; THE ACFT WAS MET BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS. WHEN THE CABIN DOOR WAS OPENED; THE CAPT SOLICITED INFO FROM THE OFFICIALS WHO SAID THEY NEEDED TO REMOVE SOME UNESCORTED PRISONERS FROM THE AIRPLANE PRIOR TO ANYONE ELSE DEPLANING. THE PROC WAS HANDLED SMOOTHLY AND THE PRISONERS WERE ESCORTED AWAY WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE CAPT WAS NOT INFORMED ABOUT THE PRISONERS AT ANY TIME DURING THE FLT UNTIL THEIR REMOVAL FROM THE ACFT. THE PRISONERS' ORIGIN WAS PDX. IT IS UNCONFIRMED WHETHER THE PRISONERS WERE EVER ESCORTED ABOARD EITHER FLT. THE IDENT OF THE PRISONERS WAS DISCOVERED BY THE FLT ATTENDANT WORKING IN THE AFT GALLEY; WHO NOTICED THEIR SIMILAR ATTIRE. THE PRISONERS' DEMEANOR WAS PLEASANT; BUT SHE NONETHELESS INFORMED THE PURSER. OBVIOUSLY; THERE WAS A PROB WITH CUSTOMER SVC AND LAW ENFORCEMENT IN THIS CASE. HOWEVER; IT WAS ESPECIALLY DISCONCERTING TO DISCOVER IN DEBRIEF THAT THE PURSER AND OTHER FLT ATTENDANTS KNEW OF THIS AND FAILED TO INFORM THE CAPT. ADDITIONALLY; THE PURSER SEEMED RELUCTANT TO DEBRIEF ON THIS MAJOR COMS FAILURE AND PRESENTED A BRUSQUE AND APATHETIC ATTITUDE ABOUT THE ENTIRE MATTER. CLRLY; THERE WAS A VIOLATION OF SECURITY POLICY; AS WELL AS; I AM SURE; MANY OTHERS. IT IS DISCONCERTING THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN; AND WE ARE EXTREMELY FORTUNATE THERE WERE NOT ANY INCIDENTS AS A RESULT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

Flight crew of A319 is chagrined to learn on arrival in lax they had carried 2 unescorted prisoners without notification by the company. Even more upset to learn that purser discovered the communication breakdown and failed to notify the flight crew en route.