MD80 PAX WAS CAUGHT SMOKING INFLT IN THE ACFT LAVATORY.

Narrative

AFTER THE INITIAL BEVERAGE SVC IN COACH AND DURING THE CRUISE PHASE OF FLT; A MALE PAX EXITED THE AFT L LAVATORY AND FLT ATTENDANTS AND PAX IMMEDIATELY SMELLED SMOKE. FLT ATTENDANTS CHKED THE LAVATORIES; SMELLED CIGARETTE SMOKE IN THE AFT L LAVATORY AND CHKED FOR FIRE. FLT ATTENDANT #2 POURED CLUB SODA INTO THE TRASH RECEPTACLE IN CASE OF SMOLDERING PAPER. FLT ATTENDANT RPTED THE INCIDENT VIA INTERPHONE TO THE CAPT. I APCHED THE PAX IN QUESTION AND TOLD HIM THAT WE HAD A RPT OF SUSPECTED SMOKING IN THE LAVATORY. HIS CLOTHING AND BREATH SMELLED OF CIGARETTE SMOKE. HE NEITHER DENIED NOR ADMITTED SMOKING; BUT AGREED NOT TO SMOKE ON BOARD. AT THAT TIME I GAVE HIM A VERBAL WARNING. HE WAS COMPLIANT. THE CAPT NOTIFIED US THAT WE WERE REQUIRED TO FILL OUT AN INFLT DISTURBANCE RPT REGARDING THE INCIDENT. I AGAIN APCHED THE MALE PAX AS FLT ATTENDANT #2 STOOD NEARBY. I INFORMED HIM THAT FARS REQUIRE THE FILING OF A RPT REGARDING THE SUSPECTED SMOKING IN THE LAVATORY AND THAT I WAS REQUIRED TO OBTAIN HIS PHOTO IDENT FOR HIS NAME AND ADDRESS. HE DENIED SMOKING INFLT AND EXPLAINED THAT HE HAD BEEN USING A FLAME TO BURN OFF THREAD FROM HIS SHIRT SLEEVE WHILE IN THE LAVATORY. I EXPLAINED THAT BURNING THREADS WOULD NOT RESULT IN THE STRONG ODOR OF CIGARETTE SMOKE. HE AGREED BUT WAS RELUCTANT TO GIVE ME HIS IDENT. I EXPLAINED THAT IF HE DID NOT GIVE ME HIS IDENT AS REQUESTED; THE CAPT WOULD CALL AHEAD TO LGA AND THE PROPER AUTHS WOULD MEET THE FLT AND OBTAIN HIS IDENT AT THAT TIME. I INFORMED THE PAX THAT HE WAS SUBJECT TO PROSECUTION FOR FAILURE TO ADHERE TO FAA REGS. HE GAVE ME HIS IDENT AND I FILLED OUT THE DISTURBANCE RPT AND GAVE HIM THE LOWER HALF OF THE TOP (WHITE) COPY. A FEMALE PAX WITNESSED THE FORM. FLT ATTENDANT #2 SERVED AS A SECOND WITNESS. WE WERE WELL INTO DSCNT INTO LGA BY THIS TIME; SO I INFORMED THE CAPT OF OUR SUCCESS IN OBTAINING THE NECESSARY INFO. WE REVIEWED THE FORM AFTER ARR IN LGA. I KEPT THE YELLOW FLT ATTENDANT COPY AND THE CAPT TOOK THE REMAINING COPIES OF THE FORMS TO THE AGENT WORKING THE FLT. SUBSEQUENTLY; A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COMPANY'S FLT SERVICE OBTAINED COPIES OF THE RPT FROM THE CAPT.