Narrative:

During boarding; the 'a' flight attendant; the greeter; and my first officer were in the entry door area greeting and speaking to the passenger. They made a comment about a passenger's t-shirt because he had long gray hair tied back in a ponytail. As he kidded with them; they were accosted by his breath which reeked of alcohol. We decided this must be the passenger we were briefed about. He was. We had a customer service supervisor come down; because the 'a' flight attendant was concerned that because this passenger was seated in first; he would expect to be served alcohol; and she had no intention of giving him another drink. The supervisor spoke with the passenger. He was very apologetic; but seemed nice and told her that he intended to sleep and that not being served would not be a problem. About 1 hour into the flight; the 'a' flight attendant called and said that our problem passenger had been in the lavatory about 20 mins. He had not locked the door and another passenger walked in on him sleeping in the lavatory. He had been throwing up; and decided to remove his pants. Fortunately; he was wearing boxers. He continued to throw up; so the flight attendants decided to leave him in the first class lavatory; and block it from other passenger use. Before we started our descent; I called back to see how our passenger was doing and the 'a' flight attendant told me he was not able to leave the lavatory; and she was afraid if he continued to be sick; he might throw up on the other passenger. I told the 'a' flight attendant that if she could get him back to his seat for landing that would be best; but if she wasn't able to; we would land with him in the lavatory. Which we did. I asked the 'a' flight attendant if we needed to have a wheel chair; or medical personnel meet us. She told me he declined. He did not come out of the lavatory until everyone was off the airplane.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 FLT CREW; WHILE ENRTE; HAS A PAX BECOME ILL AND REMAIN IN THE FORWARD LAVATORY FOR LNDG.

Narrative: DURING BOARDING; THE 'A' FLT ATTENDANT; THE GREETER; AND MY FO WERE IN THE ENTRY DOOR AREA GREETING AND SPEAKING TO THE PAX. THEY MADE A COMMENT ABOUT A PAX'S T-SHIRT BECAUSE HE HAD LONG GRAY HAIR TIED BACK IN A PONYTAIL. AS HE KIDDED WITH THEM; THEY WERE ACCOSTED BY HIS BREATH WHICH REEKED OF ALCOHOL. WE DECIDED THIS MUST BE THE PAX WE WERE BRIEFED ABOUT. HE WAS. WE HAD A CUSTOMER SVC SUPVR COME DOWN; BECAUSE THE 'A' FLT ATTENDANT WAS CONCERNED THAT BECAUSE THIS PAX WAS SEATED IN FIRST; HE WOULD EXPECT TO BE SERVED ALCOHOL; AND SHE HAD NO INTENTION OF GIVING HIM ANOTHER DRINK. THE SUPVR SPOKE WITH THE PAX. HE WAS VERY APOLOGETIC; BUT SEEMED NICE AND TOLD HER THAT HE INTENDED TO SLEEP AND THAT NOT BEING SERVED WOULD NOT BE A PROB. ABOUT 1 HR INTO THE FLT; THE 'A' FLT ATTENDANT CALLED AND SAID THAT OUR PROB PAX HAD BEEN IN THE LAVATORY ABOUT 20 MINS. HE HAD NOT LOCKED THE DOOR AND ANOTHER PAX WALKED IN ON HIM SLEEPING IN THE LAVATORY. HE HAD BEEN THROWING UP; AND DECIDED TO REMOVE HIS PANTS. FORTUNATELY; HE WAS WEARING BOXERS. HE CONTINUED TO THROW UP; SO THE FLT ATTENDANTS DECIDED TO LEAVE HIM IN THE FIRST CLASS LAVATORY; AND BLOCK IT FROM OTHER PAX USE. BEFORE WE STARTED OUR DSCNT; I CALLED BACK TO SEE HOW OUR PAX WAS DOING AND THE 'A' FLT ATTENDANT TOLD ME HE WAS NOT ABLE TO LEAVE THE LAVATORY; AND SHE WAS AFRAID IF HE CONTINUED TO BE SICK; HE MIGHT THROW UP ON THE OTHER PAX. I TOLD THE 'A' FLT ATTENDANT THAT IF SHE COULD GET HIM BACK TO HIS SEAT FOR LNDG THAT WOULD BE BEST; BUT IF SHE WASN'T ABLE TO; WE WOULD LAND WITH HIM IN THE LAVATORY. WHICH WE DID. I ASKED THE 'A' FLT ATTENDANT IF WE NEEDED TO HAVE A WHEEL CHAIR; OR MEDICAL PERSONNEL MEET US. SHE TOLD ME HE DECLINED. HE DID NOT COME OUT OF THE LAVATORY UNTIL EVERYONE WAS OFF THE AIRPLANE.

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.