PLT RPT; B727-200; LAS-IAH; PURSER WANTED INTOXICATED; VERBALLY ABUSIVE LADY PAX ARRESTED IN IAH. CAPT CALLED; BUT DISAGREED THAT THE PAX WAS DRUNK.

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ON SEP/XA/99; I WAS THE CAPT OF A B727 FOR A FLT FROM LAS TO IAH. THE FLT LEFT LAS APPROX 1.5 HRS LATE DUE TO A MAINT PROB THAT WAS REPAIRED IN LAS PRIOR TO DEP. A LOT OF THE PAX APPEARED ANNOYED DUE TO OUR LATE DEP. SOME TIME DURING THE FLT; ONE OF THE FLT ATTENDANTS CAME TO THE FLT DECK AND INFORMED ME THAT A FEMALE PAX WAS DISTRAUGHT AND VERBALLY ABUSIVE. I ASKED HER TO TRY AND CALM THINGS DOWN. LATER; I WAS AGAIN INFORMED THAT THE SAME PAX WAS STILL VERY OBNOXIOUS; CURSING; ETC. I ASKED THE FLT ATTENDANT IF SHE COULD HANDLE THE SIT AND SHE SAID SHE WOULD TRY. APPARENTLY; THIS PAX COULD NOT BE APPEASED; SINCE I WAS AGAIN INFORMED OF THIS PAX'S INTOLERABLE BEHAVIOR. AT THAT TIME I INSTRUCTED THE LEAD FLT ATTENDANT TO ISSUE A LEVEL 1 INFLT DISTURBANCE WARNING (WRITTEN) TO THE PAX PER OUR FLT OPS MANUAL. I ASSUME THAT HAD THE INTENDED EFFECT; SINCE I HEARD NO MORE ABOUT THE SIT. APCHING IAH; A CALL WAS MADE TO OUR STATION AGENT STATING THERE WAS A LEVEL 1 INFLT DISTURBANCE ON BOARD. I ALSO REQUESTED THE GND SECURITY COORDINATOR MEET THE ACFT ON ARR PER OUR FLT OPS MANUAL. UPON ARR AT THE GATE; I ASKED THE FLT ATTENDANTS TO POINT OUT THE UNRULY PAX. I OBSERVED HER DEPLANE. SHE WALKED NORMALLY AND DID NOT APPEAR TO BE INTOXICATED OR 'UNDER THE INFLUENCE.' I LATER FOUND OUT THAT THE LEAD FLT ATTENDANT ALLEGED IN HER RPT THAT THE PAX WAS INTOXICATED. I NEVER GOT THAT IMPRESSION FROM THE INFO THAT WAS GIVEN TO ME AT THE TIME; ALTHOUGH VERY AGGRAVATING; I DON'T THINK THAT VERBAL ABUSE AND OBNOXIOUS BEHAVIOR OF THIS PERSON WAS A DANGEROUS THREAT TO THE ACFT OR OCCUPANTS WARRANTING A DIVERT FOR HER REMOVAL. IF THE SIT HAD GOTTEN PHYSICAL; I BELIEVE A DIVERT WOULD BE IN ORDER. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THAT HE DIDN'T HAVE ANY DEALINGS WITH THE WOMAN; BUT HE THOUGHT THAT SHE SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ARRESTED FOR USING ABUSIVE LANGUAGE; WHICH IN FACT; SHE WAS MET BY ARPT POLICE. THE FACT THAT HE DIDN'T DIRECTLY DEAL WITH HER; HE FELT WAS CAUSE FOR HIM TO HESITATE WRITING THIS RPT; BUT HE FELT JUSTICE HADN'T BEEN SERVED; AND THAT THE FLT ATTENDANTS MADE MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING.