Date: 201911
Local time of day: 0001-0600
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Flight conditions: VMC
Light: Night
Aircraft: A319
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Parked
Airspace: Class B ZZZ
Aircraft component: System Monitor: Indicating and Warning
Component problem: Malfunctioning
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Captain; Pilot Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument
Human factors: Communication Breakdown; Time Pressure; Troubleshooting
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural MEL / CDL; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Maintenance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: Pre-flight
Result: General Release Refused / Aircraft Not Accepted; General Maintenance Action; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed
Contributing factors: Procedure; MEL; Human Factors; Aircraft; Manuals
Primary problem: MEL

Narrative: When we arrived at aircraft; Maintenance was working a Captain's seat issue; and an aft lavatory issue. On preflight we also discovered a class 2 flight control maintenance message. We called Maintenance and wrote that up as well. After these items were fixed/deferred we received a new [Maintenance Release]. Passenger boarding was completed and we were ready to go as the final bags were loaded. The door was closed and jet way was pulled. Around this time we got a Side stick Priority ECAM message. We followed the QRC which cleared the message. The message then came back; we repeated the QRC action; it cleared; then came back again. We called Maintenance and reported the discrepancy and called Operations to have the jet way brought back. This discrepancy was then written up in ACARS. Maintenance came on board; [and] used an app on his phone. I know this because he showed it to me saying some guy came up with it and it was great. He pulled some circuit breakers which cleared the ECAM message. We waited a few minutes; [and] it didn't come back. He said he was going to check the history and if it didn't come back we were good. I said great; we'll be waiting for a new [Maintenance Release]. After a few minutes; I called Maintenance and asked on progress. At this time; Maintenance said something about an inbound write up; and the already deferred class 2 message. They said they couldn't send me a new [Maintenance Release] because with the deferred item; it drove a lot of checks that would cause an additional couple hour delay. They tried to talk me through a 737 ACARS maintenance procedure to clear my write up. After several attempts I said we don't have that capability on the Airbus ACARS. It was not the Airbus rescind a [Maintenance Request] sent in error procedure. I said I couldn't/wouldn't do this. Maintenance action was performed and I needed Maintenance to clear or defer the item and I needed a new [Maintenance Release]. They said they [would] send someone back. [In the] meantime; I called Dispatch and told him what they were trying to have me do. He agreed; that's not legal. When Maintenance came back I told them I couldn't do that and he complained about how bad Airbuses are; I called [Technical Support Maintenance Control]. I've learned that maintenance in ZZZ and ZZZ1 are not Airbus friendly. I told [Technical Support Maintenance Control] what they wanted me to do; [Technical Support Maintenance Control] said no way and I gave the Mechanic my phone. It was decided at that time the jet was hard broke. I radioed Maintenance relaying that info; then called Operations and told them we were deplaning and I wanted a customer service representative at the gate to assist passengers. We got a new jet and flew to RDU. I feel ZZZ maintenance tried to lead me down a slippery path that wasn't legal.




Synopsis: A319 Captain reported refusing aircraft due to non compliance with MEL procedures.