Date: 202108
Local time of day: 0601-1200
Location: ZZZ.Tower, US
Flight conditions: VMC
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: A320
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Climb
Airspace: Class B ZZZ
ATC / advisory: Tower ZZZ
Aircraft component: Trailing Edge Flap
Component problem: Malfunctioning
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Captain; Pilot Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Human factors: Workload; Troubleshooting; Confusion; Communication Breakdown
Second reporter function: First Officer; Pilot Not Flying
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem; Flight Crew Landed As Precaution; Flight Crew Diverted; General Maintenance Action
Contributing factors: Aircraft
Primary problem: Aircraft

Narrative: Crew departed late due to brake accumulator issues on previous aircraft; and a potential one on this aircraft.Ground Ops were completely normal and the FO (First Officer) had no problems deploying the flaps to 3 for takeoff.Takeoff was normal and as we were turning to an assigned heading; we reached the cleanup altitude. I called for flaps 1 and noticed that the FO had some what I felt was minor difficulty bringing the flaps up to 1. This is not unusual; a hand slips; or the lever used to move the flap handle out of the detects isn't gripped correctly for easy retraction. I thought little of it.When I called for flaps UP; the raising was again delayed; and I noticed my FO reaching around with his right hand to put both hands on the flap lever to get it up. We talked about him having trouble getting them up; and I flew the aircraft only to ensure that I did not over speed the flaps. Eventually he was able to get them up which I saw on the speed tape on the PFD and I verified on the display; and flap handle position.We discussed what had happened a bit but decided to focus on safely exiting the terminal area and getting to altitude since the aircraft was now in the safe; and proper configuration. We made a plan to contact Maintenance Control at cruise and notify them of the problem and get advice about continuing the flight.After reaching altitude; the FO told me what he had encountered and explained how difficult it was to move the lever that released the flap handle from the detent to raise the flaps.A phone patch was initiated with dispatch and Maintenance Control and we discovered that our radio 2 wasn't able to receive over long distances. We ended up substituting radio 3 for radio 2 and temporarily disabling ACARS to complete the phone patch. Maintenance Control was very helpful on the phone patch and felt like he knew what the problem was. Maintenance Control was asked if he felt the aircraft should continue to ZZZZ; and he wanted it to go to a maintenance hub. As a Captain; I agreed with that thought process and asked the Dispatcher to bring in the Ops Manager so that we could all agree on a plan of action. We could have landed the aircraft at ZZZZ if there had been a flap malfunction; but the aircraft would have been stuck there quite a while.Eventually after consideration of landing lengths; the close to overweight landing weight of the aircraft; and the potential for wet runways in ZZZ1; that the best and safest place to divert the aircraft would be ZZZ1 in case the flaps would not deploy normally. Consideration was based on the worst case; flaps up scenario.Destination was changed with ATC once the plan was agreed upon by all parties and the phone patch was terminated and ACARS restored.Maintenance Control was asked via ACARS if we should leave the flaps down after landing and they asked them to retract them as much as we could.Fortunately; the landing in ZZZ1 was uneventful. The flaps deployed normally. Upon taxi-in. The flaps were retraced to position 1; where the handle binding began to be very difficult to overcome.Upon arrival at the gate; after shutdown; I tried to move the lever that releases the flap handle from the detent and found that it was impossible to move with just one hand.


Second narrative: We were doing a flaps 3 takeoff from [Runway] XXL. After the acceleration altitude; and above flap retraction speed; the pilot flying called for flaps to 1. I noticed; while moving the lever from 3 to 1; that the flap lever was nowhere near as smooth and free moving as it usually is; rather; it was quite difficult to move. As we accelerated through flap 1 retraction speed; it took considerable effort to get the lever out of the detent. I mentioned it to the captain who quickly made sure to raise the nose and not over speed the flaps as I used both hands to get the flap lever compressed and moved to the up position. The flaps moved as expected; with no issues; the flight control page showed normal; and the hydraulic page showed normal. We continued the climb out of ZZZ; and when reaching a safe altitude; I took the controls and radios with ATC; while the captain initiated an incredibly detailed conversation with dispatch and Maintenance Control. After exhausting every bit of information we could give; and every insight Maintenance Control had; the decision was made with dispatch and everyone in planning that they were talking to; to divert to ZZZ1 instead of potentially having a flight control issue on landing in ZZZZ; on a shorter runway; at an international station; and then leaving the plane there. We didn't [request priority] but asked approach to slow down early to get the flaps out and make sure they extended. We had planned every contingency for having to go around and then [request priority] if they didn't; and were ready to run whichever QRH abnormal procedure would have applied based on where the flaps ended up. On the approach; the flaps came down just fine and a normal landing was made. After landing; we planned; with maintenance approval; to attempt to retract the flaps but to stop if they locked again and not force anything. The lever was much less stiff from flaps full to flaps 1 than earlier; but again locked at the detent there. We left the flaps at 1 into the gate; let ramp know to tell anyone they could; and had maintenance meet us there. Sounded like they were going to replace the entire flap lever section.


Synopsis: Flight crew reported difficulty in raising the trailing edge flaps and elected to divert instead of risking a grounded aircraft at an outstation.