THE CABIN CREW OF AN MD80; ENRTE ORD TO SEA WERE CONFRONTED BY AN UNRULY PAX.

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I FINISHED MY SAFETY CHKS AFTER THE DEMO AND SAT IN MY JUMP SEAT. FLT ATTENDANT #4 CAME TO THE BACK AND GRABBED HER MANUAL AND WENT TO THE PAX IN SEAT XYZ. I COULD HEAR NOTHING. I SAW HER POINT TO A PAGE IN THE MANUAL AND OFFER THE BOOK TO THE PAX. SHE CONFERRED WITH FLT ATTENDANT #1 AND THEN I SAW HER USING THE INTERPHONE. I DID NOT KNOW WHAT WAS GOING ON. FLT ATTENDANT #4 CAME TO THE BACK; PUT AWAY HER MANUAL AND TOOK HER JUMP SEAT. I SAW SHE LOOKED AGITATED AND UPSET. MORE CALLS WERE MADE TO HER AND FROM HER ON THE INTERPHONE. AFTER A BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME (5-7 MINS) WE TOOK OFF. AFTER TKOF; SHE TOLD ME THAT THE PAX IN SEAT XYZ WOULD NOT COMPLY WITH HER SAFETY CHK. HE DID NOT WANT TO PUT HIS COMPUTER UNDER THE SEAT IN FRONT OF HIM OR RAISE HIS SEAT BACK FORWARD. APPARENTLY; WHEN SHE TOLD HIM A SECOND TIME HE BECAME VERBALLY ABUSIVE AND YELLED AT HER. THAT'S WHEN SHE RETRIEVED HER MANUAL. SHE SAID SHE WANTED HIM REMOVED BECAUSE HE WOULD NOT COMPLY AND HE WAS VERBALLY ABUSIVE. SHE ALSO FELT UNEASY AND THREATENED BY HIM. SHE TOLD ME THAT SHE CALLED THE CAPT TO INFORM HIM THAT SHE WOULD LIKE TO GO BACK TO THE GATE AND REMOVE PAX IN SEAT XYZ BECAUSE SHE FELT THREATENED. HE APPARENTLY REPLIED 'WHAT DOES THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT THINK?' APPARENTLY; THE CAPT WANTED THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT TO MAKE THE FINAL CALL. THE #4 FLT ATTENDANT TOLD ME THAT SHE WAS UPSET BECAUSE FLT ATTENDANT #1 HAD NOT DEALT WITH PAX IN SEAT XYZ AND FLT ATTENDANT #3 HAD ALSO RECEIVED ATTITUDE FROM HIM. BOTTOM LINE: FLT ATTENDANT #4 FELT UNEASY FOR THE REST OF THE FLT AND DID NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE GOING INTO THE FIRST CLASS CABIN. IN LIGHT OF SEP/11/01; MY PERSONAL OPINION IS THE PAX SHOULD HAVE BEEN REMOVED AT THE REQUEST OF ANY ONE OF THE FLT ATTENDANTS. WE CANNOT HAVE A THREATENING WORK ENVIRONMENT IN TODAY'S WORLD. ESPECIALLY SINCE WE ARE CONSTANTLY REMINDED THAT THE COCKPIT IS GOING TO REMAIN CLOSED NO MATTER WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THE CABIN.