FLC OF AN MD88 OPERATED ACFT WITH A BROKEN CARGO DOOR HANDLE. THE FLC WAS MISLED THINKING THAT THE PROB WAS ON ANOTHER COMPANY ACFT. SINCE THE CARGO DOOR OPEN LIGHTS WERE NOT ON; THE CREW BELIEVED THAT THERE WAS NO PROB. THE DOOR COULD NOT BE OPENED UPON LNDG UNTIL MAINT FIXED THE HANDLE.

Narrative

PRIOR TO THE GATE AGENT CLOSING THE DOOR FOR PUSHBACK; SOMEONE MENTIONED THAT THE FLT HAD BEEN CANCELED DUE TO A BROKEN CARGO DOOR HANDLE. BOTH THE CAPT AND MYSELF VERIFIED THAT ALL DOORS WERE INDICATION CLOSED VIA THE OVERHEAD ANNUNCIATOR PANEL. FOLLOWING OUR CHK OF THE OVERHEAD ANNUNCIATOR PANEL; THE GATE AGENT BOARDED THE ACFT AND SAID EVERYTHING WAS OK FOR DEP. WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE CARGO HANDLE; THE AGENT SAID; 'YOU'RE FINE; THAT WAS ANOTHER ACFT.' FOLLOWING THE CONFIRMATION THAT IT WAS NOT OUR FLT WE DEPARTED RDU FOR ATL AND HAD AN UNEVENTFUL FLT. UPON OUR ARR AT ATL WE WERE MET AT THE GATE BY MAINT PERSONNEL WHO PROCEEDED TO REPAIR A BROKEN CARGO HANDLE ON OUR ACFT. THE CAPT AND MYSELF WERE TAKEN BACK BY THE DECEPTION THAT APPEARS TO HAVE OCCURRED. WE CHKED THE MEL TO SEE IF IT WAS A PLACARDED ITEM AND IT WAS NOT EVEN IN THE BOOK. THE CAPT IS FOLLOWING UP WITH THE CHIEF PLT TO SEE WHO KNEW WHAT ABOUT THIS MAINT ITEM PRIOR TO DISPATCH OF THE ACFT. EVEN THOUGH THE FLT WENT FINE; THAT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN THE CASE IF THERE WAS A FIRE OR A PROB IN THAT CARGO BIN AND WE COULD NOT OPEN IT DUE TO A BROKEN HANDLE.