A320
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Other / Unknown; Situational Awareness
No Specific Anomaly Occurred All Types
General Release Refused / Aircraft Not Accepted; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed
Aircraft; Human Factors; Manuals
Flight had a scheduled departure. I arrived at the airport; checked in and preceded to the aircraft ahead of schedule. The airplane was cold with everything shut down. I proceeded to do my check and noticed the maintenance logbook with a blue sticker on the cover with MEL 23-31; indicating that the aircraft PA system was inoperative. I read the MEL; to see what procedures were required. I then followed up with reading the FOM. Though the MEL allowed for departure; the FOM required its use during Latin America operations. The FOM has 'highlighted' specific language I am required to say over the PA when departing a non-US airport to the United States. I am to read the italicized statement; 'verbatim'; to the passengers. I called the Dispatcher to discuss whether the aircraft was legal. The Dispatcher came to the same conclusion as I and would coordinate with Maintenance to get a different aircraft. I had provided my cell phone number to the Dispatcher; so he could call me directly when he had another aircraft for us. Other than now realizing we may be running late; I felt comfortable knowing that everyone that was involved with our flight knew of the situation; the aircraft swap and that we were now only awaiting a call from Dispatch with the new aircraft number and gate. I chose to use this time to brief the Flight Attendant's in order to help expedite our now late departure. My phone rang; thinking it was Dispatch; I answered only to find out it was an Assistant Chief Pilot. The Assistant Chief Pilot seemed to know what was going on in respect to our flight; the aircraft; the aircraft MEL and the procedure for MEL 23-31. He made the comment that the aircraft was legal; but if I did not think it was safe he was okay with my decision. I then explained to the Assistant Chief Pilot what was in the FOM and he then fully understood the problem we had with the aircraft with that particular MEL. After hanging up; I resumed my briefing with the Flight Attendants. Again my phone rang; and again it was the Assistant Chief Pilot. This time; rather than question the decision to switch airplanes; he began explaining that now we would have many misconnects if I didn't hurry the departure; do a quick turn and hurry back! I wasn't sure how to respond to this request; since it sure sounded as if he wanted me to violate the FOM standard operating procedures; other than to say; we would do our best.Unfortunately; the Assistant Chief Pilot's politeness appeared to only disguise the message I heard; the first time he called; which was that I was making the wrong decision about the safety of the aircraft. Since the decision to switch aircraft was a joint decision between the Dispatcher; myself and possibly Maintenance Control; I felt that the Assistant Chief Pilot's objective for calling me (without knowing all the facts); was to intimidate me and harassing in nature. Additionally; with my; 28 years of service for this airline; I feel the Assistant Chief Pilot's first call to me was not typical or normal; his second call to me crossed the line in every professional and ethical way. If what his true objective was to help me; he failed. He did however; succeed in pushing me into the 'Yellow' even before we left the ground. I do not know how it was that the Assistant Chief Pilot came to know that we had a delay and why; since he never said. He also did not start the conversation asking what the problem was; rather presumably knowing everything about our flight (which is how he initiated the conversation); it was more condescending.
A320 Captain explains the reasoning behind his rejection of an aircraft for a flight to a Caribbean Island with a non-functional PA system.