Narrative:

We were scheduled ZZZ1-ZZZ2-ZZZ3-ZZZ4 in the same aircraft. En route to ZZZ3 we diverted for WX. Climbing out to ZZZ3 we got an ECAM; air right wing leak. This was a non event for a 30 min flight at 12000 ft. I remembered this was a recurrent problem in the history. I made a long entry and dealt with the WX issues at hand. In ZZZ3; contract maintenance met us. He was also working another of our flts. After an inspection below the fuselage; the mechanic found a leak. He was explaining this to maintenance control on the phone as I was present. Maintenance control then explained to me this was a problem that 'happens all the time.' he said this was a left pack issue; because it leaks at the manifold and causes the right side ECAM. After further review; the left pack was deferred. Climbing out of ZZZ3; we had the same ECAM. My first officer called maintenance control on radio #2 while I leveled at FL220 to avoid icing. We switched duties so I could work the problem. I realized we had no packs. The cabin altitude was at 6700 ft and climbing quickly. Left pack was deferred and ECAM shut off right bleed. I asked maintenance controller if he agreed with turning on left pack since it apparently was not the problem. He said it would take captain emergency authority/authorized. I simultaneously told the first officer to get us down to 10000 ft. ATC gave us only 12000 ft. First officer asked if he should declare an emergency. I said yes. He informed ATC we were going to 10000 ft. We put on our masks as a caution. There was no rapid D and the masks did not deploy. We descended at a quick but normal rate. I elected to turn on the left pack. Pressurization became normal as we leveled at 10000 ft. The cabin reached a maximum at approximately 7500 ft as we were descending. I briefed the purser; passenger; and made contact with dispatch and maintenance control. I passed along our emergency. The decision was made to divert to ZZZ. The status of the bleeds/packs was questionable due to a possible leak. This was the safest course of action. The left pack did make a burning/overheat smell on final. I elected to turn it back off. The fire trucks met us as a precaution.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 FLT CREW HAS CABIN PRESSURIZATION PROBS; DECLARES EMER AND DIVERTS.

Narrative: WE WERE SCHEDULED ZZZ1-ZZZ2-ZZZ3-ZZZ4 IN THE SAME ACFT. ENRTE TO ZZZ3 WE DIVERTED FOR WX. CLBING OUT TO ZZZ3 WE GOT AN ECAM; AIR R WING LEAK. THIS WAS A NON EVENT FOR A 30 MIN FLT AT 12000 FT. I REMEMBERED THIS WAS A RECURRENT PROB IN THE HISTORY. I MADE A LONG ENTRY AND DEALT WITH THE WX ISSUES AT HAND. IN ZZZ3; CONTRACT MAINT MET US. HE WAS ALSO WORKING ANOTHER OF OUR FLTS. AFTER AN INSPECTION BELOW THE FUSELAGE; THE MECH FOUND A LEAK. HE WAS EXPLAINING THIS TO MAINT CTL ON THE PHONE AS I WAS PRESENT. MAINT CTL THEN EXPLAINED TO ME THIS WAS A PROB THAT 'HAPPENS ALL THE TIME.' HE SAID THIS WAS A L PACK ISSUE; BECAUSE IT LEAKS AT THE MANIFOLD AND CAUSES THE R SIDE ECAM. AFTER FURTHER REVIEW; THE L PACK WAS DEFERRED. CLBING OUT OF ZZZ3; WE HAD THE SAME ECAM. MY FO CALLED MAINT CTL ON RADIO #2 WHILE I LEVELED AT FL220 TO AVOID ICING. WE SWITCHED DUTIES SO I COULD WORK THE PROB. I REALIZED WE HAD NO PACKS. THE CABIN ALT WAS AT 6700 FT AND CLBING QUICKLY. L PACK WAS DEFERRED AND ECAM SHUT OFF R BLEED. I ASKED MAINT CTLR IF HE AGREED WITH TURNING ON L PACK SINCE IT APPARENTLY WAS NOT THE PROB. HE SAID IT WOULD TAKE CAPT EMER AUTH. I SIMULTANEOUSLY TOLD THE FO TO GET US DOWN TO 10000 FT. ATC GAVE US ONLY 12000 FT. FO ASKED IF HE SHOULD DECLARE AN EMER. I SAID YES. HE INFORMED ATC WE WERE GOING TO 10000 FT. WE PUT ON OUR MASKS AS A CAUTION. THERE WAS NO RAPID D AND THE MASKS DID NOT DEPLOY. WE DSNDED AT A QUICK BUT NORMAL RATE. I ELECTED TO TURN ON THE L PACK. PRESSURIZATION BECAME NORMAL AS WE LEVELED AT 10000 FT. THE CABIN REACHED A MAX AT APPROX 7500 FT AS WE WERE DSNDING. I BRIEFED THE PURSER; PAX; AND MADE CONTACT WITH DISPATCH AND MAINT CTL. I PASSED ALONG OUR EMER. THE DECISION WAS MADE TO DIVERT TO ZZZ. THE STATUS OF THE BLEEDS/PACKS WAS QUESTIONABLE DUE TO A POSSIBLE LEAK. THIS WAS THE SAFEST COURSE OF ACTION. THE L PACK DID MAKE A BURNING/OVERHEAT SMELL ON FINAL. I ELECTED TO TURN IT BACK OFF. THE FIRE TRUCKS MET US AS A PRECAUTION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.