PLT RPT; B767-300; CAPT RPTED COCKPIT SECURITY BREACH BY A CABIN ATTENDANT.

Narrative

WHILE CRUISING AT FL310 APCHING ABQ; THE ONBOARD LEADER CAME TO THE COCKPIT TO COLLECT THE TRAYS AND TALK FOR A MOMENT. HE WAS SITTING ON THE JUMP SEAT BEHIND THE CTR CONSOLE WHEN WE HEARD THE STANDARD 2 DINGS FROM THE INTERCOM AND 2 KNOCKS ON THE DOOR. HE REACHED OVER AND UNLATCHED THE DOOR. AS THE DOOR OPENED; I SAW A FLT ATTENDANT STANDING SLIGHTLY BEHIND THE DOOR FRAME AND A FEMALE CHILD APPROX 8 YRS OLD STEPPING UP INTO THE COCKPIT. I IMMEDIATELY AND EMPHATICALLY SAID 'NO!' IN A STRONG; LOUD VOICE. AS I WAS SAYING NO; THE FLT ATTENDANT STARTED TO ASK IF THE LITTLE GIRL COULD HAVE A TOUR OF THE COCKPIT. I CUT HER OFF MID SENTENCE WITH A SECOND; LOUDER AND MORE EMPHATIC 'NO!' SHE IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE GIRL AROUND AND LED HER FROM THE COCKPIT; EXPLAINING TO HER THAT WE WERE BUSY. AFTER SHE CLOSED THE COCKPIT DOOR; I ASKED THE ONBOARD LEADER TO TALK TO HER ABOUT BRINGING A PAX TO THE COCKPIT. LATER; HE RETURNED TO THE COCKPIT; AFTER TALKING TO HER; WITH NO EXPLANATION FOR HER ACTIONS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THAT THE OFFENDING FLT ATTENDANT WAS NOT A NEW FLT ATTENDANT; BUT PROBABLY HAD BEEN FLYING ABOUT 18 YRS; AT LEAST 10 YRS WITH ANOTHER AIRLINE. WHEN THE PURSER TALKED TO HER ABOUT IT; SHE APPEARED SURPRISED THAT THE CAPT HAD YELLED AT HER; AND SHE APPEARED TO NOT BE AWARE THAT SHE HAD BREACHED BASIC AIRLINE SECURITY. THE PURSER TOLD THE CAPT AFTERWARDS THAT HE HAD OTHER PROBS WITH HER. HE DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES WERE FOR HER.