Gordon Bennett - let's just have a look at what the thing actually says, shall we?
VII.3 Take actions if things do not go as expected
This is the Golden Rule number 4. If doubt exists regarding the aircraft flight path or speed control, the flight crew should not try to reprogram the automated systems.
The flight crew should use Selected Guidance or hand flying together with the use of navaids raw data, until time and conditions permit a reprogramming of the AP/FD or FMS.
If the aircraft does not follow the intended flight path, check the AP and A/THR engagement status.
If engaged, disconnect the AP and/or A/THR using the associated instinctive disconnect push button(s), to revert to hand flying (with FD guidance or with reference to raw data) and/or to manual thrust control.
In hand flying, the PF must follow FD commands; otherwise the flight crew must remove the FD from the PFD.
AP and A/THR must not be overridden manually.
If AP or A/THR operation needs to be overridden (i.e., following a runaway or hardover), immediately disconnect the affected system by pressing the associated instinctive disconnect push button.
So, now we can see it in context it becomes clear that:
- The section refers only to a scenario in which behaviour is unexpected
- The document explicitly says that pilot should handfly using raw data if necessary (and in an official Airbus document no less - who'dathunkit?
)
- There is no restriction on manual override without disconnect if the automation is behaving as expected
- The statement from the original post simply means that disconnect must be performed before taking manual control - presumably to ensure that a malfunctioning system is definitely no longer part of the problem