A B767-300 FLT ATTENDANT NOTICED AN INEBRIATED PAX IN THE TERMINAL; WHO LATER PRESENTED HERSELF FOR BOARDING WHICH WAS DENIED BY THE RPTR.

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MYSELF AND A COUPLE OF THE OTHER CREW (FLT ATTENDANT) OBSERVED PAX IN TERMINAL. SHE WAS WALKING AROUND IN A DAZE. I WAS GREETING PAX AT DOOR AND PAX OBSERVED IN TERMINAL BOARDED ACFT. I ASKED HER IF SHE WAS OK. SHE SAID SHE WAS JUST TIRED. I ASKED IF SHE HAD BEEN DRINKING. SHE SAID NO. I ASKED AGAIN. SHE SAID YES; JUST ONE. I WAS ALLOWING HER TO TAKE HER SEAT AND GOING TO TELL #1 FLT ATTENDANT AND CAPT BUT SHE FELL INTO THE CLOSET WALL. I ASKED HER TO STAY AT ENTRY DOOR. INFORMED #1 FLT ATTENDANT AND CAPT. SHE SMELLED OF ALCOHOL AND HER BEHAVIOR APPEARED INTOXICATED. WE (#1 FLT ATTENDANT AND CAPT) WERE IN AGREEMENT; SHE DOESN'T GO. THE AGENTS CAME DOWN TO ACFT AND SAID SHE WAS FINE; SHE WASN'T SLURRING HER WORDS. AGENT CALLED DISPATCH. PAX DID NOT GO ON OUR FLT. HOWEVER; PAX WAS REBOOKED AND WAS PAX ON A FLT DEPARTING THE NEXT DAY. THIS PAX WAS NOT FIT FOR TRAVEL. SHE WAS INTOXICATED; EITHER BY DRUGS OR ALCOHOL; OR BOTH. 2 PAX AT END OF MY FLT ASKED 'DID THE DRUNK GIRL GET ON?' THEY SAID SHE WAS 'OUT OF HER MIND;' THEY SAW HER IN THE TERMINAL. I BELIEVE THE AGENTS WANTED TO PUT HER ON OUR FLT SO THEY WOULD NOT HAVE TO DEAL WITH HER. HAD I NOT SEEN HER IN THE TERMINAL; I WOULD NOT HAVE STOPPED HER AT ACFT ENTRY AND QUESTIONED HER. THE FLT ATTENDANTS WOULD NOT HAVE DISCOVERED HER INTOXICATION UNTIL WE WERE AWAY FROM GATE. NOWADAYS; WITH SELF-TICKETING; NO ONE REALLY GETS A CHANCE TO OBSERVE PAX. AGENTS AND FLT ATTENDANTS ARE BOTH SHORT-STAFFED. BEFORE DEP; FLT ATTENDANTS DON'T GET A CHANCE TO OBSERVE PAX FOR VERY LONG. PAX SHOULD BE BETTER OBSERVED BEFORE THEY MAKE IT TO THE ACFT.