You guys are not making much sense!
If you have and explosive decompression, no matter how many packs you have operating; you can get down from 390 within the oxygen generator time, whatever the option of minutes your airline chose.
The MEL limitation is ONLY for dispatch, it does NOT apply in flight. The reason it is limited by MEL is the ability to pressurize the A/C in climb and just a preventive measure at that. If you are at FL390 and turn off a pack, nothing happens; if you turn off both pack you would get a cabin altitude rate of climb of about 650 to 800 FPM; I have seen it even on 10 and 12 year old A320's. If at that time you make a good decision and a timely EMERG DESCENT, most likely you will get to 14,000 (or 16,000 with HIGH ALT PB) before even the masks drop.
DTG: Your colleague is either making it up or asked the wrong department at Airbus, and BTW masks drop normally at 14,000 not 15,000 unless you have selected the optional HIGH ALT PB then they drop at 16,000. If he is with an Airbus operator in management, tell him to pm me and I'll give him the Dept where he should send this questions.
G
Last edited by guiones; 15th Mar 2009 at 04:41.