FLT ATTENDANT RPT; B757; MIA-GYE; PURSER HAD PAX ARRESTED FOR NOT STOWING LUGGAGE; LANGUAGE BARRIER.

Date: 1999-06 · Aircraft: B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model · Phase: approach

Anomalies: deviation-discrepancy-procedural-far|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-published-material-policy|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-other-unknown|flight-deck-cabin-aircraft-event-passenger-misconduct

Synopsis

FLT ATTENDANT RPT; B757; MIA-GYE; PURSER HAD PAX ARRESTED FOR NOT STOWING LUGGAGE; LANGUAGE BARRIER.

Narrative

A PAX COULD NOT SPEAK ENGLISH AND DID NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT WAS TALKING ABOUT. A SPEAKER FLT ATTENDANT TOOK HIS CARRY-ON AND PUT IT AWAY FOR LNDG; BECAUSE THE PAX COULD NOT KEEP HIS LUGGAGE UNDER THE SEAT. PAX WAS SEATED BY THE WINDOW. ONCE; THE SPEAKER FLT ATTENDANT PUT PAX LUGGAGE AWAY; WE THOUGHT EVERYTHING WAS SOLVED. BUT THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT INSISTED ON CALLING THE LCL AUTHS; WHEN I DON'T THINK IT WAS NECESSARY. PAX WAS VERY PLEASANT TO THE REST OF THE CREW AND DID NOT SEEM TO BE DRUNK AT ALL. I BELIEVE; THIS WHOLE SIT WITH THE LCL AUTH/POLICE WAS TOTALLY UNNECESSARY. WHAT HAPPENED FIRST; IS THAT THE PAX COULD NOT COMMUNICATE WELL ENOUGH WITH THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT; AND THE FLT ATTENDANT GOT OFFENDED AND TOOK IT VERY PERSONALLY. I AGREE WITH THE FLT ATTENDANT BEING FRUSTRATED WITH THE PAX; BECAUSE THEY HAD A COM BARRIER; BUT THERE WAS NO NEED TO INVOLVE THE LCL AUTHS. WE COULD AND WE DID HANDLE THE SIT JUST FINE EVEN BEFORE WE LANDED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR; WHO WAS ONE OF THE 'LANGUAGE-QUALIFIED' FLT ATTENDANTS; SAID THAT THE PURSER TOTALLY ESCALATED THE PROB. THE REST OF THE CABIN CREW WAS AMAZED AT HOW IRRATIONAL AND UPSET THE PURSER BECAME; BECAUSE THE PAX WAS NOT DISOBEYING AN ORDER TO STOW HIS LUGGAGE; BUT SIMPLY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE LANGUAGE. THE RPTR STATED THAT THE PURSER PROBABLY DIDN'T KNOW HOW SERIOUS IT IS TO CALL AUTHS IN A SOUTH AMERICAN COUNTRY. THE LCL POLICE SEQUESTERED THE CAPT; PURSER; AND PAX IN A WINDOWLESS ROOM FOR HRS; SURROUNDED BY MACHINE-GUN TOTING POLICEMEN; ANSWERING QUESTIONS. THE RPTR ASSUMES THE 'POOR PAX' WAS JAILED.

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