Date: 201811
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: PHX.Airport, AZ
Aircraft: A321
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Climb
Airspace: Class B PHX
ATC / advisory: TRACON P50
Aircraft component: Fuel System
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Pilot Not Flying; Captain
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Human-Machine Interface; Training / Qualification; Confusion
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural MEL / CDL; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Contributing factors: MEL; Aircraft
Primary problem: MEL

Narrative: Accepted aircraft with two relevant MELs (Minimum Equipment List): 28-XX and 28-XY. Complied with MEL 28-XY LH wing fuel tank ground procedure for operator by inserting fuel slip quantity/FF (Fuel Flow) in fuel predict page. On departure leg 1;500 feet ECAM (Electronic Centralized Aircraft Monitor): FUEL auto transfer fault. Elected not to work ECAM until 1;0000 feet. Complied with ECAM by selecting Manual on CTR (Center) tank fuel mode select. At this point the left tank fuel indications change from XX to erroneous and constantly changing fuel amounts. Flashing Rt fuel quantity with action annunciated on fuel page. (Fuel imbalance alert). We then get a second ECAM: FUEL f used/FOB (Fuel On Board) disagree. Observe right fuel tank steady at 13;200 lb. Review ECAM follow up index and determine no (Follow Up) items. Start to work second ECAM which takes you down a fuel leak path. I made the decision not to comply with this direction. Approximately 10 minutes after original ECAM we review ECAM supp. Bottom line on ECAM supplemental shows turn off left and right CTR tank transfer pumps. Caution that fuel will vent out if wing tank is full. Left wing quantity continues to fluctuate. Observe fuel predict quantity has reverted to total fuel (fluctuating due to left tank anomalous reading)/ FF+FQ. Change fuel predict page to /FF. Third ECAM for fuel transfer fault. No idea if fuel has vented out because of wing fuel transfer pumps being on for an unknown amount of time.Fuel used minus fuel slip quantity is correct at first three checkpoints. Performed fuel leak calculation. Elected to continue flight and write up fuel system on landing. Poorly written MEL. Incorrect MEL applied by maintenance.The MEL language does not indicate an ECAM will come on immediately after takeoff. This is a distraction and safety hazard. There needs to be an ECAM follow up checklist highlighting and correcting a situation where fuel can be vented overboard. The ECAM supplemental manual is not the appropriate location for such an important action item. Two experienced airbus crew members (FO [First Officer] has [many] years on the A320) were left doubting correct fuel amount due to constantly fluctuating left tank reading that created multiple ECAMs. In addition no idea if any fuel was vented overboard. In this case the left quantity circuit breaker should be pulled to prevent multiple spurious ECAMs. The MEL 28-XX ACT (Active) fuel transfer was applied by [Maintenance] incorrectly. There was no mention of ACT fuel transfer issue on previous write ups.This was a difficult systems and checklist exercise that aircrews should not be expected to deal with on a normal flight.




Synopsis: A321 Captain reported difficulty interpreting and troubleshooting Fuel System messages due to an MEL item related to the fuel system.