Date: 201408
Local time of day: 1801-2400
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Light: Night
Aircraft: MD-83
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Parked
Aircraft component: Cargo Compartment Fire/Overheat Warning
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Captain
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Situational Awareness
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural MEL / CDL; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Weight And Balance
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: Pre-flight
Result: General Maintenance Action
Contributing factors: Aircraft; Human Factors; MEL
Primary problem: MEL

Narrative: Local maintenance applied MEL 26-10 Situation 3 due to the Forward Cargo compartment Loop B not testing correctly. We applied the MEL to defer the cargo compartment and after reviewing the procedures and the note we could not find where in the MEL it states which items from the fly away kit are approved for the inclusion in accordance with this MEL. I spent about 45 minutes to 1 hour with passengers boarded discussing with Maintenance Operations where in the 'Operators MEL' does it state I can carry items such as hydraulic fluid or oil without an operable cargo fire detection system; of which I believe; is carried in the Fly away kit.After not being able to receive a reference to the approval of the items in our fly away kit within our MEL; I informed Maintenance Operations to remove the fly away kit. After this was said; Maintenance Operations and local maintenance did NOT want to remove the fly away kit because they believe it requires an engineering order to have the fly away kit removed. I explained basics about weight and balance; in that we take this weight into account as part of our weight and balance and could easily remove it or move it to the other cargo compartment and that it is not part of the Basic Operating Weight (BOW) to my knowledge.After a 1 hour delay with numerous phone calls; Maintenance Operations finally agreed to remove a portion of the fly away kit and left just the hoses; box and ladder. It is extremely frustrating to be on the phone for 1 hour with maintenance control and local maintenance trying to convince a pilot to take an item that is not entirely clear in the MEL.After completing our task of complying with this MEL; on the next leg; boarded a gate check bag that was too large to fit in the overhead bins into the forward cargo compartment of which as the flight crew we should have caught. Unfortunately; neither I nor the FO (First Officer) recalled the forward cargo MEL restriction. In the future; I will do a better job of slowing down and reviewing proper loading in accordance with the MEL.I recommend the MEL specifically state which items from the fly away kit can be carried with this MEL as stated in the MMEL NOTE. I also recommend a 'M' procedure be added to require a label be placed in the applicable cargo bin stating 'CARGO BIN MUST BE EMPTY PER MEL' to have ground staff assist flight crews in complying with aircraft ground handling MEL's. Ground crews had no idea that this bin must be left empty due to MEL restrictions and I don't believe there were Aeronautical Information Service (AIS) Station NOTES or placards to assist in compliance with this restriction.Update MEL to require a placard in the cargo bin.




Synopsis: There was confusion when a deferring a fire loop in a cargo compartment about what can be carried in that compartment.