UNRULY; ABUSIVE PAX CAUSED A DIVERSION OF A B767-300 FLT ENRTE TO LHR LNDG IN GANDER. POSSIBLE BOMB THREAT WAS INVOLVED.

Date: 1998-04 · Aircraft: B767-300 and 300 ER

Anomalies: other-unspecified

Synopsis

UNRULY; ABUSIVE PAX CAUSED A DIVERSION OF A B767-300 FLT ENRTE TO LHR LNDG IN GANDER. POSSIBLE BOMB THREAT WAS INVOLVED.

Narrative

I HAD NO DIRECT CONTACT WITH THIS PAX. PAX WAS THE CAUSE OF THE EVENT. WE LANDED IN GANDER; NEWFOUNDLAND; CANADA; TO DISEMBARK AN UNRULY PAX WHO HAD BECOME DISRUPTIVE AND ABUSIVE TOWARD A FEMALE FLT ATTENDANT IN THE COACH CABIN. BY HIS BEHAVIOR AND INTERACTIONS WITH OTHER PAX; WE (CAPT AND PURSER) DECIDED TO RID OURSELVES OF HIM WHILE STILL ABLE TO LAND AT A REASONABLE STATION. REGARDING HUMAN (IE CABIN CREW) PERFORMANCE; I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE THRESHOLD OF TOLERANCE ON THE PART OF A UNITED STATES CARRIER CABIN CREW MEMBER REGARDING ABUSIVE PAX. A LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE REGARDING A FLT ATTENDANT'S PROTECTIVE RIGHTS MAY BE EITHER NOT PROVIDED BY THE EMPLOYER OR UNBEKNOWNST TO THE EMPLOYEE. ON DOMESTIC AND INTL FLTS; I HAVE WITNESSED ENTIRELY TOO MUCH BEHAVIOR THAT JUST SKIRTS ILLEGALITY; BUT MOST DEFINITELY CONSTITUTES PHYSICAL; VERBAL; AND/OR SEXUAL HARASSMENT AND ABUSE OF A FLT ATTENDANT AT THE HANDS OF A PAX. ULTIMATELY; THIS PAX'S BEHAVIOR COULD NOT BE MEDIATED BY REASON; LOGIC; OR RATIONAL TALK. HE WAS JUST PLAIN 'NUTS.' I GOT A SECOND- HAND ACCOUNT THAT THE SAME PAX SAID TO A SEATMATE; 'HIS BROTHER WAS ON THIS PLANE WITH A BOMB IN HIS BAG; AND THEY WANTED TO HIJACK THIS ACFT TO LIBYA OR INDIA.' ALAS; ALL SECURITY THREATS MUST BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY. CONSEQUENTLY; A 4 HR DELAY; BUT A GOOD CHOICE OF ACTION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT THE CABIN ATTENDANTS WERE REQUIRED TO SPEAK TO THE COCKPIT CREW TWICE BEFORE THEY RECEIVED A POSITIVE RESPONSE TO DIVERT. AFTER LNDG AT GANDER THE PAX WAS RELEASED AND WENT TO A HOTEL WITHOUT HIS BAGGAGE WHICH RESULTED IN A DELAY IN ORDER TO FIND AND REMOVE THE BAGGAGE. GANDER IS PRIMARILY A MIL ARPT AND VERY HELPFUL WITH THE ACFT NEEDS. HOWEVER; THE PAX WENT TO A DIFFERENT ARPT AND BOARDED ANOTHER ACR AND CONTINUED HIS FLT TO LHR.

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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.