FLT ATTENDANT; S80; ORD-JFK; PAX SMOKED IN LAVATORY; MET BY POLICE IN JFK.

Narrative

A PAX DISCOVERED SMOKE (CIGARETTE) IN AFT LAVATORY WHEN ATTEMPTED TO USE IT. THE PAX NOTIFIED THE NEAREST FLT ATTENDANT WHO WAS IN NEARBY GALLEY. FLT ATTENDANT ENTERED LAVATORY AND SAW SOME HAZY SMOKE AND SMELLED CIGARETTE TOBACCO. FLT ATTENDANT CHKED LAVATORY FOR CIGARETTE EVIDENCE IN TOILET; TRASH CAN UNDER SINK; AND IN SINK. CIGARETTE ASH DISCOVERED IN SINK. PAX POINTED OUT THE PAX (50+ YR OLD MALE) WHO HAD EXITED THAT PARTICULAR LAVATORY LAST. PAX HAD TO WAIT FOR LAVATORY TO BE AVAILABLE; THEREFORE COULD IDENT THE LAST PAX IN LAVATORY. PAX ALSO STATED THAT THE PAX IN QUESTION SMELLED OF CIGARETTE SMOKE AS HE EXITED LAVATORY. FLT ATTENDANT APCHED THE PERPETRATOR AND SAW A PACK OF CIGARETTES IN BREAST POCKET OF SHIRT. FLT ATTENDANT ALSO SMELLED CIGARETTE TOBACCO/SMOKE EMANATING FROM THIS PAX. FLT ATTENDANT HAD NO PROOF THAT THIS PAX WAS THE SMOKER. THEREFORE; FLT ATTENDANT MADE A SECOND ANNOUNCEMENT THAT SMOKING WAS PROHIBITED ON BOARD AND THAT COOPERATION WAS APPRECIATED. 10 MINS AFTER ANNOUNCEMENTS; PERPETRATOR WAS SEEN BY FLT ATTENDANT ENTERING SAME LAVATORY. THIS PAX EXITED 5 MINS LATER; SMELLING OF CIGARETTES/SMOKE. FLT ATTENDANT IMMEDIATELY ENTERED LAVATORY TO FIND EVIDENCE OF SMOKING. LAVATORY SMELLED OF SMOKE AND CIGARETTE ASHES FOUND IN SINK AGAIN. FEAR OF A SMOLDERING FIRE IN THE TRASH; WHICH WAS ASSUMED PLACEMENT FOR HIDING CIGARETTE; FLT ATTENDANT CHKED TRASH BIN UNDER SINK AND SMELLED TOBACCO. FLT ATTENDANT PULLED ALL TRASH OUT OF CONTAINER AND DISCOVERED PLASTIC CUP WITH BURNED CIGARETTE IN CUP. CIGARETTE WAS WARM FROM USE -- BEING LIT. IMMEDIATELY THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT WAS NOTIFIED OF SIT AND IDENT OF PAX/PERPETRATOR. THE FLT ATTENDANT WHO DISCOVERED THE CIGARETTE AND SIT; DID NOT APCH MALE PAX DUE TO PAST EXPERIENCE OF MALE PAX DISMISSING A FEMALE FLT ATTENDANT'S INSTRUCTIONS; ADVICE; REPRIMANDS; ETC. ALSO FEMALE FLT ATTENDANT HAD PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE OF MALE PAX BECOMING BELLIGERENT AND VOLATILE WHEN APCHED. THEREFORE; RESPONSIBILITY OF REPRIMANDING AND/OR ADDRESSING PERPETRATOR WAS GIVEN TO #1 FLT ATTENDANT AND THE CAPT. CAPT AND #1 FLT ATTENDANT ADDRESSED PERPETRATOR; WHO AT SOME POINT ADMITTED TO SMOKING IN THE LAVATORY DESPITE 2 ANNOUNCEMENTS PROHIBITING SMOKING. PERPETRATOR WAS MET BY LCL POLICE UPON ARR AND WARNED IN WRITING AND VERBALLY OF THE DANGER OF SMOKING; THE LOSS OF TRAVELING-BY-AIR RIGHTS; AND FINES. THE PERPETRATOR STATED THAT; 'I DON'T CARE. MAYBE I COULD HAVE DIED; THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER.' PERPETRATOR SEEMED DESPONDENT AND DID NOT CARE OF THE OUTCOME OF HIS ACTIONS DESPITE REPEATED WARNINGS BY CAPT AND THE POLICE. UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES; THE PAX WHO WAS SUICIDAL/DESPONDENT WAS NOT GOING TO OBSERVE RULES. NOTHING COULD HAVE PREVENTED HIS ACTIONS.