Narrative:

During departure; maintenance was working an inbound write-up of 'seats at xxdef rock all 3 seats.' the mechanics showed up on the aircraft at approximately XA30 to begin the repair. After working on the issue past departure time; maintenance decided to defer the item and deferred it per MEL; 'seats inoperative; seats not to be occupied.' seats were properly taped and placarded and proper release and MEL were received prior to pushback. After arriving in ZZZ1; I was informed by the oncoming captain that our dispatch was illegal due to the fact that the MEL was not correct. The seats were missing a fastening bolt to the deck of the cabin; and; therefore; must have been fixed or removed prior to flight. Factors relating to this incident include the fact that mechanics were rushed during work on item; confusion at control center in that they did not initially know why the flight boarding was stopped during the work; and thought our aircraft was indeed a different one; flight crew was beginning an all-nighter leg and proper rest is always a challenge prior to such let; flight was eventually past departure time which again prompted maintenance to be in a hurry.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 WAS DISPATCHED WITH SEAT ASSEMBLY XXDEF DEFERRED AS INOP PER THE MEL. SEAT WAS DEFERRED IMPROPERLY AS ONE TRACK BOLT WAS MISSING.

Narrative: DURING DEP; MAINT WAS WORKING AN INBOUND WRITE-UP OF 'SEATS AT XXDEF ROCK ALL 3 SEATS.' THE MECHS SHOWED UP ON THE ACFT AT APPROX XA30 TO BEGIN THE REPAIR. AFTER WORKING ON THE ISSUE PAST DEP TIME; MAINT DECIDED TO DEFER THE ITEM AND DEFERRED IT PER MEL; 'SEATS INOP; SEATS NOT TO BE OCCUPIED.' SEATS WERE PROPERLY TAPED AND PLACARDED AND PROPER RELEASE AND MEL WERE RECEIVED PRIOR TO PUSHBACK. AFTER ARRIVING IN ZZZ1; I WAS INFORMED BY THE ONCOMING CAPT THAT OUR DISPATCH WAS ILLEGAL DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE MEL WAS NOT CORRECT. THE SEATS WERE MISSING A FASTENING BOLT TO THE DECK OF THE CABIN; AND; THEREFORE; MUST HAVE BEEN FIXED OR REMOVED PRIOR TO FLT. FACTORS RELATING TO THIS INCIDENT INCLUDE THE FACT THAT MECHS WERE RUSHED DURING WORK ON ITEM; CONFUSION AT CTL CTR IN THAT THEY DID NOT INITIALLY KNOW WHY THE FLT BOARDING WAS STOPPED DURING THE WORK; AND THOUGHT OUR ACFT WAS INDEED A DIFFERENT ONE; FLT CREW WAS BEGINNING AN ALL-NIGHTER LEG AND PROPER REST IS ALWAYS A CHALLENGE PRIOR TO SUCH LET; FLT WAS EVENTUALLY PAST DEP TIME WHICH AGAIN PROMPTED MAINT TO BE IN A HURRY.

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.