AN UNCOOPERATIVE COACH PAX HAS TO BE RESTRAINED BY HANDCUFFS AND DUCT TAPE WHEN MISBEHAVING TO A LEVEL 2 SECURITY ON AN A319.

Narrative

PRE-BOARDING; A PAX; MR X; WAS IDENTED AS HAVING BEEN DRINKING BEFORE THE FLT. MYSELF; THE PURSER; A CSR SUPVR; AND THE FO CALLED HIM OUT TO THE JETBRIDGE TO ASSESS HIS CONDITION. HE ADMITTED TO 'HAVING A COUPLE OF DRINKS' BUT DID NOT APPEAR TO BE INTOXICATED TO ME; NOR WAS HE BELLIGERENT TO THE CREW. HE WAS COHERENT; ANSWERED ALL OF MY QUESTIONS IN AN ARTICULATE MANNER; AND WAS VERY POLITE. HE WAS ADVISED HE WOULD NOT BE SERVED ANY ALCOHOL DURING THE FLT. HE SAID 'THAT IS FINE WITH ME; I JUST WANT TO GET HOME.' HE SAID 'I WILL NOT BE ANY TROUBLE.' HE SEEMED TO ME TO HAVE A FEAR OF FLYING; AND HAD THE DRINKS TO CALM HIMSELF. THE JOINT DECISION WAS TO ALLOW HIM TO BOARD. AFTER 30 MINS OF FLT; THE AFT FLT ATTENDANT ADVISED ME MR X HAD LEANED OVER AND TOLD THE PAX NEXT TO HIM; 'I LOVE YOU.' THIS COMMENT ENRAGED THE OTHER PAX; AND HE COMPLAINED TO THE FLT ATTENDANT. THE AFT FLT ATTENDANT ALSO THOUGHT MR X HAD TAKEN SOMETHING AFTER BOARDING; AS HIS DEMEANOR HAD CHANGED AFTER 30 MINS OF FLT. HE DID NOT EXHIBIT ALCOHOL INDUCED BEHAVIOR; HE SEEMED TO BE 'ON SOMETHING' TO HER. THE PURSER ADVISED MR X TO 'SETTLE DOWN;' AND HE DID FOR 30 MINS. WE DECLARED HIM TO BE A LEVEL 1 SECURITY RISK AT THIS TIME. AS A PRECAUTION; I HAD THE PURSER FIND AND BRIEF 'HELPER' PAX IN THE EVENT MR X BECAME DIFFICULT; AND TO RESTRAIN HIM IF NECESSARY. AFTER 30 MINS; MR X REPEATED THE COMMENT; 'I LOVE YOU' TO THE NEIGHBORING PAX; AND AN ALTERCATION OF WORDS BEGAN. THE PURSER ADVISED MR X AGAIN TO SETTLE DOWN; OR HE WOULD NEED TO BE RESTRAINED. AN OFF DUTY POLICE CAPT IDENTED HIMSELF TO THE PURSER (UNARMED) AND TOGETHER THEY ADVISED ME RESTRAINTS WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA AS A PRECAUTION. THEY THOUGHT WITHOUT RESTRAINTS; MR X MIGHT GET PHYSICAL. WE ALSO HAD A PCFA ON BOARD. HE WAS PRIVATELY ADVISED OF THE SIT; AND REMAINED COVERT DURING THE SIT; AND NEVER BECAME INVOLVED. WHILE UNRESTRAINED; WE VIEWED MR X TO BE A LEVEL 2 SECURITY POSSIBILITY; AND WE ADVISED THE COMPANY. ACFT HANDCUFFS WERE PLACED ON MR X AND HE BEGAN CURSING LOUDLY. THE POLICE OFFICER THEN DUCT TAPED HIS MOUTH CLOSED. THIS ACTION COMPLETELY CALMED MR X DOWN AND THEREFORE THE DECISION NOT TO DIVERT TO CHICAGO WAS MADE BY THE CREW. THE SECURITY LEVEL WAS THEN DECLARED TO LEVEL 1 FOR THE DURATION OF THE FLT. THE TAPE REMAINED ON FOR 20-30 MINS; AND WAS REMOVED. AFTER ANOTHER 45 MINS TO AN HR; THE HANDCUFFS WERE MOVED TO THE FRONT OF MR X'S BODY FOR COMFORT; AND HE WAS ALLOWED TO USE THE RESTROOM (ESCORTED BY THE POLICE OFFICER). MR X WAS CALM FOR THE DURATION OF THE FLT AND WAS QUIET AND DOCILE WHILE BEING REMOVED BY THE AUTHS IN DENVER. HE APOLOGIZED TO ME WHILE LEAVING THE AIRPLANE FOR HIS COMMENTS; AND WAS ONCE AGAIN VERY POLITE. SINCE MR X NEVER BECAME PHYSICAL; DID NOT INTERFERE WITH THE FLT CREW; NEVER MADE ANY THREATS; THEREFORE HE WAS NOT CHARGED BY THE FBI; AND WAS TAKEN BY THE DENVER POLICE TO 'DETOX.' I ADVISED THE ATTENDING DENVER POLICE OFFICER MR X SEEMED TO HAVE TAKEN DRUGS DURING THE FLT. HE ADVISED ME THEY WOULD SEARCH HIM FOR ILLEGAL SUBSTANCES.