Flight attendant stated the gate agent opened the 4L passenger door before being told the door was d...

Attributes
ACN	579226
Time
Date	200303
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mtpp.airport
State Reference	FO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mtpp.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground : parked
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Qualification	flight attendant : currently qualified flight attendant aircraft qualified on : 7
Experience	flight attendant time airline total : 4 flight attendant time total : 4 flight attendant time type : 60
ASRS Report	579226
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight attendant : on duty
Events
Anomaly	cabin event : passenger misconduct non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : company policies other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : 1
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

After the captain made the PA 'flight attendant prepare for arrival,' I had to use the restroom. When I came out, we were still waiting for the doors to be opened. During this waiting time, a passenger went into the lavatory before deplaning (before door was opened). The passenger left her bag outside the lavatory before she went into the lavatory. All of a sudden, the agent opened the door without getting the thumbs-up signal from the flight attendant. I saw the passenger about to exit the lavatory. I jumped in front of the lavatory door to protect the passenger, then the passenger came out of the lavatory rushing me, angry, and screaming to me. By this time, I put my left hand close to her head to protect her. I was trying to explain to her at the same time, but everything happened so quickly. It was hard, and painful, when the door opened and hit my hand and broke my nail deep into the finger. The passenger then became belligerent, she called me derogatory names. She definitely said she would punch me. She said she was in her country, and she had a lot of power to break me down. The flight attendants # 2, #6, and #3 saw everything. I would like to ask you or who is responsible, to inform or advise, the agents in pap to always wait for a flight attendant's thumbs-up sign before opening the exit doors. All this happened because the agent didn't wait for a flight attendant's thumbs-up sign.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT ATTENDANT STATED THE GATE AGENT OPENED THE 4L PAX DOOR BEFORE BEING TOLD THE DOOR WAS DISARMED. THE FLT ATTENDANT HAD AN IRATE PAX AFTER SHE BLOCKED THE PAX FROM BEING HIT BY THE OPENING DOOR AT MTPP.

Narrative: AFTER THE CAPT MADE THE PA 'FLT ATTENDANT PREPARE FOR ARR,' I HAD TO USE THE RESTROOM. WHEN I CAME OUT, WE WERE STILL WAITING FOR THE DOORS TO BE OPENED. DURING THIS WAITING TIME, A PAX WENT INTO THE LAVATORY BEFORE DEPLANING (BEFORE DOOR WAS OPENED). THE PAX LEFT HER BAG OUTSIDE THE LAVATORY BEFORE SHE WENT INTO THE LAVATORY. ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE AGENT OPENED THE DOOR WITHOUT GETTING THE THUMBS-UP SIGNAL FROM THE FLT ATTENDANT. I SAW THE PAX ABOUT TO EXIT THE LAVATORY. I JUMPED IN FRONT OF THE LAVATORY DOOR TO PROTECT THE PAX, THEN THE PAX CAME OUT OF THE LAVATORY RUSHING ME, ANGRY, AND SCREAMING TO ME. BY THIS TIME, I PUT MY L HAND CLOSE TO HER HEAD TO PROTECT HER. I WAS TRYING TO EXPLAIN TO HER AT THE SAME TIME, BUT EVERYTHING HAPPENED SO QUICKLY. IT WAS HARD, AND PAINFUL, WHEN THE DOOR OPENED AND HIT MY HAND AND BROKE MY NAIL DEEP INTO THE FINGER. THE PAX THEN BECAME BELLIGERENT, SHE CALLED ME DEROGATORY NAMES. SHE DEFINITELY SAID SHE WOULD PUNCH ME. SHE SAID SHE WAS IN HER COUNTRY, AND SHE HAD A LOT OF PWR TO BREAK ME DOWN. THE FLT ATTENDANTS # 2, #6, AND #3 SAW EVERYTHING. I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU OR WHO IS RESPONSIBLE, TO INFORM OR ADVISE, THE AGENTS IN PAP TO ALWAYS WAIT FOR A FLT ATTENDANT'S THUMBS-UP SIGN BEFORE OPENING THE EXIT DOORS. ALL THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE THE AGENT DIDN'T WAIT FOR A FLT ATTENDANT'S THUMBS-UP SIGN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

Flight attendant stated the gate agent opened the 4L passenger door before being told the door was disarmed. The flight attendant had an irate passenger after she blocked the passenger from being hit by the opening door at mtpp.