Narrative:

While climbing through approximately 15000 ft; a flight attendant stated there was a very loud air leak/noise in the coach cabin. Investigation by the flight attendant revealed the noise coming from the lower sidewall next to 12A. The sound was described as very loud with a high pitch; similar to that of a cabin door leak. The flight attendant stated the noise had started shortly after takeoff and several passenger had rung their call buttons. The first officer and I checked all system and everything was normal. A passenger (mr X) who idented himself as a company Y employee; voiced his concerns to the other passenger and stated the aircraft was unsafe to fly in this condition. One of the flight attendants indicated mr X's comments had alarmed other passenger. Mr X told one of the flight attendants he would notify the FAA as soon as possible about this situation. The noise subsided considerably after leveloff at FL370 and the flight attendants indicated none of the passenger seemed concerned. The first officer and I determined it was safe to continue. We gathered as much information as possible from the flight attendants concerning the noise and forwarded this to maintenance control via ACARS. Later en route; one of the flight attendants had a conversation with mr X and informed him he had needlessly alarmed other passenger with his unnecessary comments shortly after the noise started. Mr X seemed to agree with the flight attendant. Whether or not mr X will notify the FAA is unclr as he disembarked before I had a chance to speak with him. A detailed log entry PIREP was completed and a call was made to maintenance control after I cleared customs.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737-800 DURING CLB AT 15000 FT; PAX COMPLAINED ABOUT A LOUD PRESSURE SQUEAL FROM THE SIDEWALL AT SEAT 12A. SQUEAL MODERATED AT FL370.

Narrative: WHILE CLBING THROUGH APPROX 15000 FT; A FLT ATTENDANT STATED THERE WAS A VERY LOUD AIR LEAK/NOISE IN THE COACH CABIN. INVESTIGATION BY THE FLT ATTENDANT REVEALED THE NOISE COMING FROM THE LOWER SIDEWALL NEXT TO 12A. THE SOUND WAS DESCRIBED AS VERY LOUD WITH A HIGH PITCH; SIMILAR TO THAT OF A CABIN DOOR LEAK. THE FLT ATTENDANT STATED THE NOISE HAD STARTED SHORTLY AFTER TKOF AND SEVERAL PAX HAD RUNG THEIR CALL BUTTONS. THE FO AND I CHKED ALL SYS AND EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL. A PAX (MR X) WHO IDENTED HIMSELF AS A COMPANY Y EMPLOYEE; VOICED HIS CONCERNS TO THE OTHER PAX AND STATED THE ACFT WAS UNSAFE TO FLY IN THIS CONDITION. ONE OF THE FLT ATTENDANTS INDICATED MR X'S COMMENTS HAD ALARMED OTHER PAX. MR X TOLD ONE OF THE FLT ATTENDANTS HE WOULD NOTIFY THE FAA ASAP ABOUT THIS SITUATION. THE NOISE SUBSIDED CONSIDERABLY AFTER LEVELOFF AT FL370 AND THE FLT ATTENDANTS INDICATED NONE OF THE PAX SEEMED CONCERNED. THE FO AND I DETERMINED IT WAS SAFE TO CONTINUE. WE GATHERED AS MUCH INFO AS POSSIBLE FROM THE FLT ATTENDANTS CONCERNING THE NOISE AND FORWARDED THIS TO MAINT CTL VIA ACARS. LATER ENRTE; ONE OF THE FLT ATTENDANTS HAD A CONVERSATION WITH MR X AND INFORMED HIM HE HAD NEEDLESSLY ALARMED OTHER PAX WITH HIS UNNECESSARY COMMENTS SHORTLY AFTER THE NOISE STARTED. MR X SEEMED TO AGREE WITH THE FLT ATTENDANT. WHETHER OR NOT MR X WILL NOTIFY THE FAA IS UNCLR AS HE DISEMBARKED BEFORE I HAD A CHANCE TO SPEAK WITH HIM. A DETAILED LOG ENTRY PIREP WAS COMPLETED AND A CALL WAS MADE TO MAINT CTL AFTER I CLRED CUSTOMS.

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.