Narrative:

During initial climb out; at approximately FL355; ECAM displayed cabin altitude; flashing green at a cabin altitude 8800 ft. While attempting to contact ATC to request a descent; the aircraft continued to climb towards the assigned altitude of FL390. At FL365; contact was made and clearance received from ATC; to descend to and maintain FL310. ATC was advised we had a cabin pressurization problem and we may need lower. The FCU heading and altitude was reset for a heading of 120 degrees magnetic (due to traffic) and a descent to FL310. An autoplt descent was initiated. At this point; the aircraft had reached FL370. ECAM then displayed cabin altitude in red at a cabin altitude of 9950 ft. ECAM then displayed the emergency descent checklist and the fault message 'cabin altitude' fault along with the master warning. Oxygen masks were donned and crew communications established and the emergency descent initiated per the checklist. An emergency was declared with ATC and clearance to 10000 ft MSL and a turn to 140 degrees magnetic was received. At approximately FL280; the ECAM emergency checklist and fault message were removed from view. Due to the lengthy maintenance history of the pressurization system; descent to 10000 ft MSL was continued. ATC was advised of our desire to maintain present heading which was almost direct ZZZ at this time. Via ACARS; dispatch was notified of our descent due to cabin pressurization problems and our change of destination from ZZZ1 to ZZZ. ATC was also advised of our desire to continue to ZZZ. At 10000 ft MSL; oxygen masks were removed. The passenger emergency oxygen system had not been activated. Voice contact was made with dispatch; flight attendants were advised and passenger notified of our descent and change of destination. Emergency fire equipment was refused with both ATC and dispatch. ATC asked and received 'souls on board' and fuel remaining. ATC asked if the aircraft could accept normal handling and we responded that we could accept normal handling. The flight continued to ZZZ uneventfully.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A320 CREW RPTS PRESSURIZATION PROBS PASSING FL355 ON CLBOUT. AT FL370 CREW DECLARES AN EMER AND BEGINS AN EMER DSCNT.

Narrative: DURING INITIAL CLBOUT; AT APPROX FL355; ECAM DISPLAYED CABIN ALT; FLASHING GREEN AT A CABIN ALT 8800 FT. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CONTACT ATC TO REQUEST A DSCNT; THE ACFT CONTINUED TO CLB TOWARDS THE ASSIGNED ALT OF FL390. AT FL365; CONTACT WAS MADE AND CLRNC RECEIVED FROM ATC; TO DSND TO AND MAINTAIN FL310. ATC WAS ADVISED WE HAD A CABIN PRESSURIZATION PROB AND WE MAY NEED LOWER. THE FCU HDG AND ALT WAS RESET FOR A HDG OF 120 DEGS MAGNETIC (DUE TO TFC) AND A DSCNT TO FL310. AN AUTOPLT DSCNT WAS INITIATED. AT THIS POINT; THE ACFT HAD REACHED FL370. ECAM THEN DISPLAYED CABIN ALT IN RED AT A CABIN ALT OF 9950 FT. ECAM THEN DISPLAYED THE EMER DSCNT CHKLIST AND THE FAULT MESSAGE 'CABIN ALT' FAULT ALONG WITH THE MASTER WARNING. OXYGEN MASKS WERE DONNED AND CREW COMS ESTABLISHED AND THE EMER DSCNT INITIATED PER THE CHKLIST. AN EMER WAS DECLARED WITH ATC AND CLRNC TO 10000 FT MSL AND A TURN TO 140 DEGS MAGNETIC WAS RECEIVED. AT APPROX FL280; THE ECAM EMER CHKLIST AND FAULT MESSAGE WERE REMOVED FROM VIEW. DUE TO THE LENGTHY MAINT HISTORY OF THE PRESSURIZATION SYS; DSCNT TO 10000 FT MSL WAS CONTINUED. ATC WAS ADVISED OF OUR DESIRE TO MAINTAIN PRESENT HDG WHICH WAS ALMOST DIRECT ZZZ AT THIS TIME. VIA ACARS; DISPATCH WAS NOTIFIED OF OUR DSCNT DUE TO CABIN PRESSURIZATION PROBS AND OUR CHANGE OF DEST FROM ZZZ1 TO ZZZ. ATC WAS ALSO ADVISED OF OUR DESIRE TO CONTINUE TO ZZZ. AT 10000 FT MSL; OXYGEN MASKS WERE REMOVED. THE PAX EMER OXYGEN SYS HAD NOT BEEN ACTIVATED. VOICE CONTACT WAS MADE WITH DISPATCH; FLT ATTENDANTS WERE ADVISED AND PAX NOTIFIED OF OUR DSCNT AND CHANGE OF DEST. EMER FIRE EQUIP WAS REFUSED WITH BOTH ATC AND DISPATCH. ATC ASKED AND RECEIVED 'SOULS ON BOARD' AND FUEL REMAINING. ATC ASKED IF THE ACFT COULD ACCEPT NORMAL HANDLING AND WE RESPONDED THAT WE COULD ACCEPT NORMAL HANDLING. THE FLT CONTINUED TO ZZZ UNEVENTFULLY.

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.