Ryan,

While you raise a good point, the truth is, the "honor system" still works for many, many things. Certainly, an FA could abuse "power" -- but at the risk of getting caught. What if the pilot THAT day decided to chat with the potential problem passenger?

I am sure that any FA caught trying to get his old High School enemy (and let's face it, who would even recognize them? Heck, at my 10 year reunion I hardly recognized half of my FRIENDS from high school...) tossed would quite possible lose their job.

Again,

1) perhaps you weren't quite as "in control" as you thought you were.

2) Even if you were charming and polite, still, many stories begin with "he was drunk but when we boarded it didn't seem like he'd be a problem..."

Steve