A319
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness
Deviation - Altitude Crossing Restriction Not Met; Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Aircraft; Human Factors; Procedure
We were filed at FL220 as a final and were at cruising altitude. I had already accomplished my arrival review and noted the altitudes above our cruising altitude had been deleted on the CHSLY1 arrival; specifically BURRZ between FL 240 and FL 270; but didn't think much of it at the time. ATC then asked us if we could climb to FL240 for traffic; which we did. ATC eventually cleared us to descend via the CHSLY1 arrival; landing north; and the captain dialed in the bottom altitude of 6;000 feet; but was waiting to descend. Between WRLLD and BLUEJ; we began to encounter turbulence and the captain began a managed descent. I told him to wait because I thought there were some altitudes that were deleted; and at first saw SKLES at or above FL220; so the descent continued. Then I saw the BURRZ restriction and told the captain to stop the descent. At almost the same time; ATC asked about our altitude; which was FL235; and I replied we were climbing back to FL240. ATC said there was no conflicting traffic and asked if it was an FMS issue; which it was. After the flight; the captain called center and said this was almost a daily occurrence. We definitely fell into the Airbus FMS altitude constraints deleted above cruise altitude trap. We might have been ok if the center had left us at FL220; but the extra climb put us right into the danger zone. The other factor for me was performing the arrival verification before being recleared to FL240. When I had seen it earlier I thought the BURRZ restriction wouldn't be a factor since we were not scheduled to climb that high. When we began the early descent I remembered a restriction being deleted but not the details. I spoke up about it immediately; but lost 500 feet before we figured it out. We should have maintained altitude until verifying the restrictions on the chart.
A319 First Officer reported falling into the old Airbus FMS altitude constraints deleted above cruise altitude trap during descent on the CHSLY1. The flight had originally been cruising at FL220 which automatically deleted the BURRZ FL240 restriction. The flight was then cleared to FL240 for traffic and the BURRZ restriction was forgotten about.