Date: 201502
Aircraft: Commercial Fixed Wing
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Descent; Final Approach; Takeoff / Launch
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Flight Attendant (On Duty)
Reporter qualification: Flight Attendant Current
Human factors: Distraction; Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Time Pressure
Anomaly: Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Illness / Injury; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Passenger Misconduct
Detector: Person Flight Attendant
When detected: In-flight; Taxi
Contributing factors: Human Factors
Primary problem: Human Factors

Narrative: Upon completing my preflight safety checks; I had noticed that the male passenger seated in XXD; Mr. X; did not have his seatbelt fastened for departure. I asked Mr. X to buckle his seatbelt and that is when his wife; Mrs. X; seated in XXE; advised me that Mr. X suffered from dementia. I proceeded to assist Mr. X and buckled his seatbelt around him. While completing our safety checks for landing; I noticed that Mr. X did not have his seatbelt fastened. I again asked Mr. X to buckle up for landing. He was not complying; so I assisted Mr. X by buckling his seatbelt for him. I proceeded to my jumpseat and buckled in. While seated I had heard the noises of a seatbelt being unbuckled. I turned around and looked up the aisle toward the forward part of the aircraft and noticed that Mr. X had his seatbelt unbuckled and hanging in the aisle. I proceeded to get up and inform Mr. X that his seatbelt need to be fastened for landing. He made some unrecognizable noises and words and proceeded to stand up and enter the aisle of the aircraft. I advised Mr. X that he needed to seated for landing. There was a lady passenger seated in front of him in XYD that had an infant attached to her in a Baby Bjorn type of harness. Mr. X proceeded to attempt to grab the child by placing his hands under each of the infants' arms. The pax in XYD was in complete shock. I tried to get Mr. X to release the child. Once I did so; Mr. X continued to stay in the aisle of the aircraft when I heard the landing gear deploy. Once again; I asked Mr. X to take his seat for landing and he continued to stand in the aisle. The following happened in order: Mr. X refused to listen to our orders to sit down in his seat for landing.Mr. X became slightly combative with the female passenger seated in XXC who was trying to help. Mr. X grabbed her right wrist tightly causing discomfort and pain. Once FA in the back and I realized how close we were to the ground due to fog; we had to stay standing in the aisle to protect Mr. X. I proceeded to try and get around Mr. X to make sure I was standing in front of him to protect him from lurching forward once we touched down on the runway. FA stayed [in] the back to make sure Mr. X did not fall backwards. While going around Mr. X; he pushed his backside against me and pushed me into the passenger seated at XYC. He then yelled at me telling me I was an '[expletive]' I repeatedly told Mr. X that 'I am here for your safety!! I am here for your safety!!'FA notified the Purser of the situation once we had landed. Purser then relayed the information to the flight deck crew. Mr. X continued to walk around the back cabin and aft galley as we taxied in and FA blocked the doors preventing Mr. X from trying to open the doors while they were armed. I stood between Mr. X and the infant child seated in XYD since the mother was frightened by the earlier actions. FA and I remained with him and in the aisle until the aircraft came to a complete stop and blocked in at the gate.




Synopsis: An Air Carrier Flight Attendant had to deal with a non-compliant passenger who suffered from dementia. He refused to obey commands to fasten his seatbelt and on final approach; stood up in the cabin and alarmed other passengers with his odd behavior. The flight attendants kept the unruly passenger from the armed exit doors until blocked in at the gate.