A B737-300 ACFT FWD ENTRY DOOR (1L) ESCAPE SLIDE WAS STOPPED FROM INADVERTENT DEPLOYMENT BY QUICK ACTION OF FLT ATTENDANT AND CO-PILOT.

Narrative

ACFT PARKED AND ENGS SHUT DOWN AT GATE. THE PURSER DISARMED 1L WITH THE GIRT BAR OUT OF ITS BRACKETS; AND THE CUSTOMER SVC REPRESENTATIVE WAS OPENING THE DOOR. FLT ATTENDANT STOPPED THE CUSTOMER SVC REPRESENTATIVE FROM FURTHER OPENING THE DOOR; AS SHE SAW THE SLIDE COMING OUT FROM ITS CONTAINER. SHE CALLED FOR ASSISTANCE; AS SHE SAW A POTENTIAL SLIDE DEPLOYMENT. I LEFT THE FLT DECK TO SEE THE DOOR; PARTIALLY OPEN; THE GIRT BAR FULLY OUT OF ITS BRACKETS; AND THE SLIDE DETACHED FROM ITS CONTAINER. AS I INSPECTED THE SLIDE AND BAR; I SAW THAT THE GIRT BAR WAS FULLY DETACHED FROM THE ACFT; THE SLIDE WAS NOT CONNECTED TO ITS CONTAINER IN ANY WAY; AND THAT THE SLIDE WAS NOT HUNG UP OR SNAGGED ON THE ACFT OR JETWAY IN ANY WAY. SEEING THAT IT WAS COMPLETELY LOOSE; I WAS ABLE TO SAFELY MOVE THE SLIDE AND GIRT BAR OUT OF THE DOORWAY AND SET IT ASIDE IN THE JETWAY; ALLOWING THE DOOR TO FULLY OPEN; AND THE DE-BOARDING OF THE ACFT COMMENCE. FLT ATTENDANT QUICK ACTION IN PREVENTING THE DOOR FROM BEING FURTHER OPENED BY THE UNSUSPECTING CUSTOMER SVC REPRESENTATIVE; AND HER CALL FOR HELP IN A POSSIBLE DANGEROUS SLIDE DEPLOYMENT; REFLECTS SOLIDLY ON HER AWARENESS AND PROFESSIONALISM. THIS HAS BEEN A RECURRING PROB ON THE B737 -- IT MIGHT REFLECT A POSSIBLE DESIGN FLAW IN THE CONTAINER MECHANISM.