A B727-200 WAS DISPATCHED FOR SEVERAL DAYS WITH NUMEROUS DEFERRED ITEMS WHICH WERE NOT CLRED AT MAINT STATIONS ON LAYOVER.

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ACFT HAD FOLLOWING MAINT CARRYOVER ITEMS: AUTOPLT AND FLT DECK PAX OXYGEN INDICATOR INOP SINCE DEC/XA/97. FLT DECK FUEL QUANTITY IND AUX TANKS INOP. 1 ANTI COLLISION BEACON INOP. ON DEC/XB/97 PLANE STAYED IN MAINT IN LAX WHERE DEFECTIVE PART FOR AUTOPLT WAS IDENTED BUT NOT CHANGED. AUTOPLT BEGAN SERIES OF WRITE-UPS FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO ENGAGE SINCE NOV/XX/97. OXYGEN INDICATOR MAINT CARRYOVER ITEM REQUIRED SO AT NON MAINT STATION TO OPEN E&E COMPARTMENT AND OBSERVE DIRECT READING GAUGE AT EACH STOP. IT HAD BEEN WRITTEN UP SINCE DEC/XA/97. THIS ACFT FLEW COAST TO COAST WITHOUT AUTOPLT AND REQUIRED US TO FLY IN LIGHT TO MODERATE TURB; ACTUAL IFR; WITH A PLANE LOAD OF PEOPLE. I KEPT ALL PAX AND CREW SEATED FOR A MAJORITY OF THE 1.5 HR FLT. WHEN I ARRIVED IN ZZZ AFTER HAVING COMPLAINED TO MAINT COORDINATOR AT BEGINNING OF 2 LEG SEGMENT WE FLEW THIS ACFT; MECHS REPLACED PART SHORTLY AFTER WE BLOCKED IN AND IT WAS REPAIRED BEFORE EVEN A THIRD OF THE PAX HAD DISEMBARKED. THIS IS PROOF POSITIVE ACR DOES NOT PUT SAFETY FIRST AS THEY STATE IN POLICY DUE TO THE CUTS MADE IN MAINT AND ITS ADMINISTRATION BY A MAN USED TO PLAYING A MAINT SHELL GAME. OUR PARTS INVENTORY WAS DEPLETED IN AN OBSESSIVE COST CUTTING PROGRAM. DESPITE AN ALLEGED WARNING BY THE FAA FOR ACR MECHS TO BRING TOOLS INSTEAD OF PENS TO WORK; ACR NEW MGMNT ALLOWS 'BUSINESS AS USUAL' AND FAILS TO UNDERSTAND THE REQUIREMENT FOR MAINT IN SUCH AN OPERATIONAL; EQUIP DEPENDENT BUSINESS.