AIRLINE MAINT PROC FLC PLACARDING WITHOUT DISPATCH APPROVAL WAS QUESTIONED BY ACI.

Narrative

AT GATE IN OAK THE AFT AIRSTAIRS WERE RETRACTED; THE AMBER 'AFT AIRSTAIRS' LIGHT ON SO'S PANEL EXTINGUISHED BUT THE GREEN 'AFT AIRSTAIRS' LIGHT REMAINED ON. THE AIRSTAIRS WERE VISUALLY CONFIRMED CLOSED AFTER CYCLED OPEN AND CLOSED. THE ACFT MEL CONFIRMED WE COULD (FLC) PLACARD THE DISCREPANCY AND PROCEED WITH FLT. PER THE MEL MAINT ACTION; DISPATCH APPROVAL WAS NOT REQUIRED TO PLACARD AND DISPATCH THE FLT. WE PROCEEDED WITH THE FLT TO SLC. CONTACTED MAINT CTL ON THE RADIO AND SATISFIED ALL REQUIREMENTS OF THE MEL. WE HAD AN FAA ACR INSPECTOR IN THE JUMPSEAT WHO QUESTIONED OUR ABILITY TO PLACARD AND DISPATCH OUR FLT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE ACI HAD QUESTIONED THE FLC'S ABILITY TO PLACARD INOP ITEMS WITHOUT DISPATCH APPROVAL. RPTR FELT THAT THE ACI TOOK THINGS TOO SERIOUSLY. DUE TO THE INSPECTOR'S QUESTIONS; HOWEVER; THE FLC SOUGHT THE CHIEF PLT'S REVIEW AND ADVICE. THE CHIEF PLT COULD NOT FIND FAULT WITH CREW ACTION. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 317355: RECEIVED LOGBOOK REF FROM MAINT CTL IN ATL; HAD CHKED FOM AND MEL; FELT NO DISCREPANCY WAS APPARENT AS TO MY ACTIONS.