Reported for work 16:55z at Manchester to operate MAN-AGP-MAN, back on chocks at 01:15.
Nothing unusual, S/O already there with the weather/ notams and OFPs already printed off. Synchronised my laptop with the company server to get any updates to the manuals and T/O performance (all done on the laptop). Met the cabin crew briefly before they went down to the gate leaving us to finish our flight planning.
Chatted with the Base Captain over a coffee and decided on a fuel figure wihich the S/O called through to Servisair and the fuellers.
Left the crewroom at STD-35 and went to the gate, boarded and then, as PF I conducted the pre-flight cockpit set-up whilst the S/O did the walkaround. During this I noticed the REVERSER overhead light on for the No.2 engine. Quick call to get the engineer back whilst I continued with the set-up, the S/O joining me and boarding beginning.
Engineer arrived and started the maintenance procedure for us to dispatch under the MEL with a reverser locked out. This took some considerable time for them to accomplish, during which I briefed the IFS (Inflight Supervisor, or No.1 to those of us a little older!), made a PA to the pax to advise them of the delay (due to a routine maintenance procedure which the engineers needed to complete before we could depart). Finished all our pre-departure duties including briefing and loadsheet/ performance and then waited for the engineers to finish off. Departed 50 minutes late (having telephoned Ops a number of times to ensure our flight plan stayed in the system with suitable delays).
Uneventful flight until 13,000' in the descent when we got a 'AFT ENTRY DOOR' Master Caution. Carried out the QRH which basically requires you to check that the door is shut and that cabin pressure is as expected. Light extinguished as we passed through 8000'. Landed RWY32 on a lovely cavok evening.
Scheduled a 1hr turnaround, which turned out to be well needed. Phone call once shut down, to Maintrol regarding the door and another minor problem, which they said they would call me back about having checked the maintenance manual. Aircraft cleaning and fuelling completed and boarding started. Shortly after boarding had completed the IFS came up to the flightdeck to advise me of a disruptive pax who smelt of booze and who had verbally abused both a member of cabin crew and two other pax, threatening physical violence against them when we landed in Manchester just because the two preferred to continue reading their books rather than engage in conversation with him. IFS visibly shaking. Asked her to seperate them (we weren't full), which they had already done, but now the two 'victims' were petrified of the repurcussions in Manchester and wanted something to be done. After gathering all the 'evidence', it became clear that we had witnesses to the verbal abuse and threats and that was enough for me to decide (after consultation with my S/O) that we would not be carrying this person.
Asked the agent to call the police to attend as this guy appeared to be calm, but had already threatened physical violence. I explained that he would be offloaded, but needed a Police presence before I confronted him. IFS advised me of her personal difficulty dealing with this as she was still in councelling after being attacked on an IBZ flight recently. Re-assured her and got her to sit in the flightdeck for a few minutes to calm herself whilst I dealt with things. Asked the agent to find the bags of the offender and his partner (whom I guessed would want to get off to remain with her 'man' once I had got him off.) Got the S/O to do all the PF anf PNF pre-flight duties as far as he could whilst I dealt with the problems. Maintrol sorted the technical difficulties, but still no sign of Police or bags. PA to pax regarding delay, advised of a 'baggage problem' requiring us to locate a couple of bags which the agents were doing (didn't want to alarm them over the disruptive pax just yet). Spoke personally to the two 'victims' who had been re-seated at the front of the a/c. They were both consultant surgeons and were pretty 'shaky' from their experience. I advised them that we would be offloading the offender, but they were still very concerned about possible repercussions from his 'friends' who were still onboard. I commented that I could do little about them as they had not done anything, but advised them that I could get the Manchester Airport Police to meet the aircraft and escort them (the surgeons) through to baggage reclaim and beyond. This calmed them. Advised the IFS to offer them complimentary drinks once inflight. Another two pax PAs before the police arrived. They spoke no English, I speak very little Spanish and the agent spoke pigeon English. They wanted ALL the pax off to escort this man off!
I suggested that I get him off and asked that if he kicked off would they support me, which they agreed to.
Confronted said pax and advised him that he had been refused carriage. He 'swore on his mother's life' that he had done nothing wrong, and then claimed that one of the 'victims' had 'touched his leg'. I told him he could take this up with the company, but unfortunately he would not be travelling on this aircraft. He very compliantly got up and walked off into the custody of the handling agent.
As predicted, his girlfriend decided to join him after a couple of minutes. Still no sign of the bags due to the check-in agents sticking all the party's baggage receipts to one ticket.
Another PA to the pax explaining in a little more detail about the baggage discrepancy and the reason why the bags needed to be taken off. IFS re-assured and her welfare checked to ensure she was happy to fly, which she was. S/O still liasing with Ops regarding keeping our flight plan in. Phone call to Duty Manager to advise of problem and to ask him to set up the police in Manchester. Bags found. Doors closed, time for pushback. One minute of calming and checking everything was up to date and a review to ensure we had not missed anything.
S/O flying, take off runway 32. Briefed to forget about what had happened on turnaround and to concentrate on the job in hand....we could talk about it once in the cruise.
Uneventful return sector apart from the amount of time I had to spend writing out reports, including an Air Safety Report (which I won't go into here).
Arrived at Manchester, landed 24R and taxied in. Shutdown and could see the police waiting on the bridge. Finished the shutdown checks and went out onto the bridge to explain the problem and asked them to accompany the 'nervous pax' through the airport, which they agreed to.
Went back on board, finished up, spoke to the engineers and returned to the crewroom to fax the various reports and to follow up the crew welfare issue with the IFS, who assured me she was ok to drive home herself.
Left the crewroom one hour late. Home to bed. Following a few hours sleep emailed the Base Manager woth a few more details and then phoned the Cabin Crew Management to ensure the IFS got some follow-up support.
So you can see, the flying was a minor part of that shift. Let's hope tomorrow is quieter!
PP