AN MD80 FLT ATTENDANT IN CHARGE RPTED THAT A PAX WAS SO DISRUPTIVE; THE POLICE WERE SUMMONED TO THE GATE AFTER LNDG AT AUS.

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UPON PREPARING FOR TKOF; PAX WAS ASKED TO BRING HER SEAT-BACK UP FOR TKOF (THERE HAD BEEN A 45 MIN MECHANICAL DELAY). HER RESPONSE WAS; 'NO; NOT UNTIL I KNOW WE'RE TAKING OFF/LEAVING.' DURING SVC; PAX SAID THERE WAS DIRT IN HER COKE. AT PREPARE FOR LNDG; PAX WAS ASKED TO PUT SEAT-BACK INTO UPRIGHT POS BY ANOTHER FLT ATTENDANT. I WAS ASSISTING THIS FLT ATTENDANT WITH TRASH PICK-UP. PAX RESPONDED 'I TOLD YOU 43 TIMES; MY SEAT IS BROKEN' AND THEN THE FLT ATTENDANT HANDED ME THE TRASH BAG AND TOLD PAX THAT SHE COULD HELP HER. WHEN FLT ATTENDANT LEANED IN TO ASSIST PAX; PAX SLAPPED HER HARD ON THE ARM AND YELLED 'DON'T TOUCH MY SEAT.' I TOLD THE FLT ATTENDANT THAT I WOULD CALL THE CAPT. THE FLT ATTENDANT FOLLOWED ME UP TO FORWARD GALLEY AND SPOKE WITH CAPT. CAPT CALLED TO TELL US THE AUTHS WOULD MEET THE PLANE. PERCEPTIONS: FLT ATTENDANT WAS VERY PROFESSIONAL. PAX'S INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR ESCALATED THROUGHOUT THE FLT (FROM TKOF TO THE SLAP). THE POLICE TESTED THE SEAT AFTER PAX DEPLANED. IT WAS SOLIDLY IN POS AND COULD EASILY BE BROUGHT FORWARD BY PUSHING THE BUTTON. MY OPINION IS THAT THE PAX WAS AGITATED BY THE MECHANICAL DELAY AND POSSIBLY HAS A PROB WITH ANGER MGMNT TO CORRECT THE SIT; NEXT TIME I WOULD; UPON HEARING OF HER DISCONTENT; LET HER KNOW SHE WAS INTERFERING WITH A CREW MEMBER; A FEDERAL OFFENSE; PUNISHABLE BY A FINE UP TO $25000. I BET SHE WOULD HAVE CHANGED HER APPROACH!