AN MD80 FLT ATTENDANT RPTED THAT AN INTOXICATED PAX USED HIS CELL PHONE SEVERAL TIMES DURING CRUISE AND HARASSED A FEMALE PAX.

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SAW PAX BOARD. SEEMED UNABLE TO WALK WITHOUT FALLING TO SIDE; BUT THOUGHT IT MAY BE MEDICAL; OR MENTAL SIT. PAX WAS ASSIGNED XA1; BUT WHEN I WALKED THROUGH CABIN HE WAS SITTING IN XA3. THOUGHT THE WOMAN ASSIGNED XA3 WANTED TO SIT IN WINDOW SINCE IT WAS HER FIRST TIME FLYING. NEXT TIME I WALKED THROUGH MALE PAX WAS SITTING IN XA2; NEXT TO YOUNG WOMAN. THOUGHT IT WAS STRANGE AND ASKED IF SHE WOULD RATHER HAVE AISLE SEAT (IN ORDER TO MOVE AWAY); BUT SHE INDICATED SHE WAS FINE. AFTER TKOF; PAX FROM ROW BEHIND MALE PAX CAME TO BACK OF ACFT TO INFORM ME THAT A PAX WAS ON HIS CELL PHONE IN ROW IN FRONT OF HIM. IT WAS THE MALE PAX I HAD NOTICED IN XA2. I IMMEDIATELY TOLD HIM TO TURN PHONE OFF. HE WOULD NOT MAKE EYE CONTACT AND DID NOT IMMEDIATELY COMPLY. AFTER A SECOND TIME HE FINALLY TURNED IT OFF. AS WE APCHED WITH BEVERAGE CART; ROW BEHIND MALE PAX TOLD ME HE HAD BEEN USING PHONE AGAIN. I INFORMED HIM I WOULD CONTACT AUTHORITIES AND CONFISCATE PHONE IF HE DIDN'T COMPLY. HE COMPLIED. WOMAN SITTING NEXT TO HIM MADE EYE CONTACT AND INDICATED SHE WANTED TO MOVE SEATS. I MOVED HER 6 ROWS UP. SHE INFORMED ME HE HAD BEEN TRYING TO TOUCH HER AND SHE WAS UNCOMFORTABLE AND AFRAID. SHE WAS AFRAID TO DEPLANE IN STL FOR FEAR HE WOULD FOLLOW HER. I WENT TO GET MALE PASSENGER'S BOARDING PASS IN ORDER TO HAVE INFO FOR CAPT. HE AGREED TO CONTACT AGENTS IN STL. PAX HAD DIFFICULTY LOCATING BOARDING PASS EVEN THOUGH IT WAS IN SIDE POCKET OF BAG. IT WAS MY FIRST INDICATION OF POSSIBLE INTOXICATION. WHEN I ASKED YOUNG WOMAN IF HE SMELLED OF ALCOHOL; SHE SAID YES. PASSENGER SVC MET FLT. PAX ADMITTED BEING INTOXICATED; AND USING PHONE INFLT. WITH SELF CHECK-IN; THERE IS NO CONTACT WITH PERSONNEL UNTIL BOARDING. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THOUGH THE MALE PAX ADMITTED THAT HE HAD BEEN USING HIS CELL PHONE; HE NEVER USED OBSCENITIES AND DID NOT LASH OUT PHYSICALLY. SO; THE CAPT DECIDED THAT THE POLICE DID NOT NEED TO MEET THE PLANE; BUT THE AGENTS WOULD BE REQUESTED IN ORDER TO OBSERVE THE MALE PAX DURING HIS THREE HOUR LAYOVER TO SEE IF HE SOBERED UP ENOUGH TO BE ALLOWED ON HIS CONNECTING FLT. THE AGENTS ALSO ESCORTED THE UNDERSTANDABLY UPSET FEMALE PAX TO HER CONNECTING FLT; UPGRADED HER TO FIRST CLASS; AND ENSURED THE MALE PAX DID NOT HAVE ANY FURTHER CONTACT WITH HER. BASED ON THIS EXPERIENCE; THE RPTR OBSERVED THAT THERE IS A POTENTIAL LOOPHOLE IN THE SELF CHECK-IN PROCESS. A PAX CAN CHECK IN AT HOME; PRINT OUT A BOARDING PASS; AND PROCEED TO THE ARPT. IF THE PAX IS NOT CHECKING LUGGAGE; THE ONLY PERSONAL ASSESSMENT OF THE PAX WOULD BE DONE AT THE SCREENING AREA. AFTER THAT; A PAX CAN AVOID AN AGENT AT THE GATE BY UTILIZING THE ELECTRONIC GATE READER (EGR) AND BOARD THE ACFT WITHOUT ANY OTHER HUMAN CONTACT. THE RPTR DOUBTS THAT MANY FLT ATTENDANTS WOULD BE ABLE TO ASSESS A PAX'S FITNESS FOR FLT IN THE BRIEF TIME THAT THEY PASS BY ON THE WAY TO THEIR SEATS.