B737-800
Maintenance Airframe; Maintenance Powerplant
Situational Awareness; Time Pressure
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Returned To Gate; General Maintenance Action
Aircraft
Aircraft X had a ground interrupt in for an exterior 1L door handle being extended. This was noted by the ground crew or another aircraft after push-out. However; it was first noticed by the gate agent prior to push-out; who recommended maintenance be called. She was told by ramp control to ignore it and instructed to pull the jetbridge. She related this account to crew chief and mechanic after the aircraft returned. Furthermore; ramp control announced over the radio that the plane was returning to the gate and 'they will reset the door.' It sounded as though another department was going to 'reset' the door. I immediately sent out the aforementioned crew chief and mechanic only to discover ramp control had been meddling with the airplane from the start to guarantee a timely departure. Ramp control must have a safety culture to advise maintenance of safety concerns.
A B737 had a ground interrupt due to the exterior 1L door handle reported as being extended. Aircraft returned to the gate and Maintenance was called.