Narrative:

So at this time, flight attendants simply do not board an aircraft until cabin service has finished. Cabin service has occasionally put a barrier strap across the boarding door, as a way to deter flight attendants boarding. I do not know if this was the case on this occasion. Once we were able to board and begin our duties there was a considerable amount of rushing and chaos. Taxi out and takeoff seemed normal. Shortly after takeoff, a flight attendant from forward part of aircraft called back to say not to rush up, as there was a problem at door 2L and the service would be delayed. Once I did go forward, I heard a rapid, loud banging at 2L. I could also feel the banging with my hand. The international relief officer came back on numerous occasions trying to locate and fix the problem. The captain came back at other times. The cockpit contacted our maintenance base and it was eventually decided that we should return to dfw. Once we landed at dfw and reached the gate, I am told by other flight attendants, that an agent removed a barrier strap from the door frame. As I was in the back of the aircraft, I did not actually see this. During the time that I boarded the aircraft and all during boarding, I did not at any time see the barrier strap in or around the door. Supplemental information from acn 466991: manager informed us that the first class cabin was ready and we could board in that area. I gathered my crew luggage and boarded. The barrier strap was gone. I did not see who removed it or where it was. By 'gone' I mean that it was no longer across the doorway.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MULTIPLE CABIN ATTENDANT RPT, MD11, DFW-FRA. CABIN CLEANERS LEFT BARRIER STRAP ATTACHED TO DOOR. TKOF AND CLB HAD LOUD BANGING NOISE. RETURN TO DFW.

Narrative: SO AT THIS TIME, FLT ATTENDANTS SIMPLY DO NOT BOARD AN ACFT UNTIL CABIN SVC HAS FINISHED. CABIN SVC HAS OCCASIONALLY PUT A BARRIER STRAP ACROSS THE BOARDING DOOR, AS A WAY TO DETER FLT ATTENDANTS BOARDING. I DO NOT KNOW IF THIS WAS THE CASE ON THIS OCCASION. ONCE WE WERE ABLE TO BOARD AND BEGIN OUR DUTIES THERE WAS A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF RUSHING AND CHAOS. TAXI OUT AND TKOF SEEMED NORMAL. SHORTLY AFTER TKOF, A FLT ATTENDANT FROM FORWARD PART OF ACFT CALLED BACK TO SAY NOT TO RUSH UP, AS THERE WAS A PROB AT DOOR 2L AND THE SVC WOULD BE DELAYED. ONCE I DID GO FORWARD, I HEARD A RAPID, LOUD BANGING AT 2L. I COULD ALSO FEEL THE BANGING WITH MY HAND. THE IRO CAME BACK ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS TRYING TO LOCATE AND FIX THE PROB. THE CAPT CAME BACK AT OTHER TIMES. THE COCKPIT CONTACTED OUR MAINT BASE AND IT WAS EVENTUALLY DECIDED THAT WE SHOULD RETURN TO DFW. ONCE WE LANDED AT DFW AND REACHED THE GATE, I AM TOLD BY OTHER FLT ATTENDANTS, THAT AN AGENT REMOVED A BARRIER STRAP FROM THE DOOR FRAME. AS I WAS IN THE BACK OF THE ACFT, I DID NOT ACTUALLY SEE THIS. DURING THE TIME THAT I BOARDED THE ACFT AND ALL DURING BOARDING, I DID NOT AT ANY TIME SEE THE BARRIER STRAP IN OR AROUND THE DOOR. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 466991: MGR INFORMED US THAT THE FIRST CLASS CABIN WAS READY AND WE COULD BOARD IN THAT AREA. I GATHERED MY CREW LUGGAGE AND BOARDED. THE BARRIER STRAP WAS GONE. I DID NOT SEE WHO REMOVED IT OR WHERE IT WAS. BY 'GONE' I MEAN THAT IT WAS NO LONGER ACROSS THE DOORWAY.

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.