Flyboy80 From United States of America, joined Jul 2001, 1856 posts, RR: 3 Posted (9 years 11 months 19 hours ago) and read 1932 times:
Hey, just got back from my recent trip to Phoenix, As most of you know, it has been baffling to me for some time if F/As were permitted to open aircraft doors why the aircraft is on the ramp, while it is not deplaning/boarding (obviously, as small children etc... Could fall out!) and there is no Gate outside the door (which why gate agents open them I don't know, couldn't they be severely hurt if the cabin was pressurized?) but anyways, while In PHX I saw a WN 733 at the gate and I was watching it for some time. After everyone deboarded, the F/A opened 1R and held it half way open as she talked to someone on the ramp, and then the catering truck "raised" up and she just pushed it the rest of the way open just before he was going to move the catering truck slightly up and forward. Prior to this, I noticed that those little cracks on the bottom and top of the 737 doors were pointing in, which means the door must have been "cracked" (it was still completely in it's socket, so I don't know if that follows the entire "cracked" definition)the door, insuring safety for someone that might open it from the outside. But the point is, F/As open these doors a lot while there is no platform of any kind outside of the door, so there must be no law that says "opening of cabin doors is prohibited while the aircraft is parked at the gate." THey should be able to open them anyways! They're Flight Attendants!!!!!!
my views expressed here are my own, and do not represent any company or organization
Erfly From United States of America, joined Aug 2002, 164 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (9 years 11 months 18 hours ago) and read 1878 times:
They're is no law that prohibits us from opening doors. On most of our aircraft, we have integrated airstairs (meaning we carry our stairs with us). In order to deploy the stairs, we must make sure that the area is clear below the forward door. To do this, we do have to open the door about halfway. Once we ensure that no one is underneath, we lower the stairs. It takes about 30 seconds to a minute until they're fully locked into place. All of this time, the door is slightly open. Of course, the flight attendant is standing in front of the opening, watching the stairs as they deploy.
The same is true in reverse. As the stairs are retracting into the aircraft, the door is open. The door remains open until the stairs are fully retracted and the "STAIRS OPERATING" light is extinguished.
Flyer732 From Namibia, joined Nov 1999, 1334 posts, RR: 27 Reply 2, posted (9 years 11 months 16 hours ago) and read 1822 times:
On our 717s the 1R door is opened about the time the 1L door is opened, and it is not closed until catering is off. Which in some cases could be well after boarding has started.
Charliecossie From Germany, joined Oct 2001, 467 posts, RR: 10 Reply 3, posted (9 years 11 months 16 hours ago) and read 1806 times:
I have direct knowledge of BA procedures on this subject.
No door may be opened (and then left open) unless steps or some other suitable platform is positioned at the door.
All doors MUST be opened from the inside when personnel (crew/pax) are on board. Engineering may open them from the outside for maintenance purposes. Trained staff may open them from the outside when the a/c is empty.
On the 737, 757 and some Airbussies the escape slide blocks access to the galley waste bin. In these cases, cleaners must make every effort to empty the bins when catering trucks are present.
[Maintenance]A door must never be left open without a platform or barrier net in place. A barrier strap in not acceptable as Boeing specifically state in the Maintenance Manual that a barrier strap will not support the weight of a person.
Does this clear things up a bit?
L-188 From United States of America, joined Jul 1999, 29350 posts, RR: 62 Reply 5, posted (9 years 11 months 13 hours ago) and read 1758 times:
On the 737-200 combi, there is a handle on the outside of the cargo door that must be manually pulled before you can open it.
If you don't have an airstair on the door (quite common) you open the 1L door and then with one hand on the aircraft, swing out and reach over for the handle.
For somebody who is afraid of heights....like me....it can be pretty spooky to do this at night.
Anyway, here are the best two shots of the door handle open that I could find real quick.
Artsyman From United States of America, joined Feb 2001, 4741 posts, RR: 43 Reply 7, posted (9 years 11 months 9 hours ago) and read 1696 times:
At Continental, the flight attendants are not to open the doors. Agents open the doors once given the thumbs up letting them know that it is clear for them to do so. Obviously if it is an evac etc, then they can open the doors, but otherwise....nope
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