AN A300 CABIN CREW WERE CONFRONTED BY A PAX WITH BIZARRE BEHAVIOR.
Synopsis
AN A300 CABIN CREW WERE CONFRONTED BY A PAX WITH BIZARRE BEHAVIOR.
Narrative
DURING BOARDING; FLT ATTENDANT #1 CAME TO BACK GALLEY WHERE I WAS SETTING UP FOR THE SVC AND TOLD ME THAT A FEMALE PAX WAS TALKING TO HERSELF. I ASKED WHAT SHE WAS SAYING; SHE SAID THE WOMAN WAS SPEAKING IN SPANISH AND DIDN'T KNOW. I SUGGESTED SHE GET A SPANISH SPEAKING FLT ATTENDANT TO LISTEN IN. FLT ATTENDANT #1 CAME BACK TO THE GALLEY A FEW MINS LATER AND SAID THE SPANISH/ENGLISH SPEAKING PAX SITTING NEAR HER SAID SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT EATING HER SUITCASE. THIS WOMAN SOUNDED 'MENTALLY UNSTABLE' TO ME AND I SUGGESTED TO FLT ATTENDANT #1 THAT SHE SHOULD INFORM THE CAPT BEFORE WE DEPARTED FROM THE GATE SO THE WOMAN COULD BE REMOVED BEFORE THE DOOR WAS CLOSED IF THE CAPT SO CHOSE. SHE RETURNED AND RELATED THAT THE CAPT DIDN'T THINK IT SOUNDED LIKE SHE OFFERED A THREAT SO SHE COULD REMAIN ON BOARD. DURING THIS FLT SHE WAS IN AND OUT OF HER SEAT 'WANDERING' THE CABIN; AND PAX OBSERVED HER REMOVING HER CLOTHES AND PUTTING THEM BACK ON WRONG SIDE OUT; TALKING TO HERSELF; AND GENERALLY; SHE WAS DISTURBING THE PAX SEATED AROUND HER WITH HER LOUD VOICE AND NONSENSE CONVERSATIONS. PAX RELATED TO US THAT THEY WERE NERVOUS ABOUT HER BEHAVIOR. FLT ATTENDANT #2 (A SPANISH SPEAKING FLT ATTENDANT) SPOKE TO HER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS; TELLING HER TO RETURN TO HER SEAT; BE QUIET; AND STOP DISTURBING THE PEOPLE AROUND HER. ALTHOUGH SHE WOULD BE RESPONSIVE; SHE COULDN'T STAY FOCUSED ON THE 'CHORE' FOR MORE THAN A FEW MINS. ABOUT 1 HR PRIOR TO LNDG; SHE STARTED CRAWLING OVER THE SEAT BACKS HOPPING FROM ONE EMPTY SEAT INTO ANOTHER. I CALLED THE CAPT AND INFORMED HIM OF THIS NEW BEHAVIOR. HE ASKED US TO INFORM HER THAT IF SHE DIDN'T STAY IN HER SEAT; WE WOULD LAND IN BERMUDA AND LET HER OFF. I TOLD HIM; IN MY OPINION; FLT ATTENDANT #2 COULD TELL HER THIS; BUT SHE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO RETAIN SUCH INFO FOR MORE THAN A FEW MINS DEEMING IT RATHER USELESS; BUT WE WOULD MAKE THE EFFORT. FLT ATTENDANT #2 RELATED THIS INFO TO HER; AND TOLD HER WE WOULD HAVE TO TIE HER INTO THE SEAT IF SHE COULDN'T STAY THERE. SHE BECOME LIKE A STONE; STARING STRAIGHT AHEAD. SHORTLY; SHE WAS OUT OF HER SEAT AND THE THREATS HAD TO BE REPEATED. PAX SEATED NEAR HER TOLD US THAT SHE HAD BEEN DENIED BOARDING ON AN EARLIER FLT BECAUSE SHE APPEARED DRUNK AND WAS TOLD TO STOP DRINKING AND GO ON OUR LATER FLT. THIS WOMAN DIDN'T APPEAR DRUNK TO ME. SHE APPEARED MENTALLY UNSTABLE. WE LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. IN THE RPT FROM THE AIRLINE; IT IS STATED THAT SHE CLAIMED TO HAVE MIXED ALCOHOL WITH ANTI-DEPRESSANTS AND HER BEHAVIOR WAS A RESULT OF THIS. IN MY OPINION; THE CAPT SHOULD HAVE HAD SOMEONE SPEAK TO HER WHO IS CAPABLE OF DISCERNMENT AND AT LEAST HAD HER REMOVED UNTIL A CAPABLE PERSON COULD SPEAK WITH HER AND MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION ABOUT HER ABILITY TO TRAVEL UNACCOMPANIED. ALSO; WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH FLT ATTENDANTS ON BOARD WHEN WE HAVE A 'HEALTHY' LOAD TO ASSIGN SOMEONE TO BABY-SIT FOR A 'SCARY' PAX. THIS PAX NEEDED CONSTANT SUPERVISION -- WE AREN'T IN THE BUSINESS TO PROVIDE IT AND SHOULDN'T BE IN THE POS OF HAVING TO DO SO. WE HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING THE EXTENT OF HER PROBS AND SHOULDN'T BE IN A POS OF TRYING TO SECOND GUESS HER REAL NATURE AT FL350.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.