B747-400 PLT RPTS OF AN AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE ISSUED FOR CABIN DOORS 5L AND 5R INTERPHONES INOP. MEL REQUIRES 1 HANDSET FOR EACH PAIR OF DOORS.

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FLT ATTENDANT PREFLT FINDS INTERPHONE IN CABIN AT BOTH DOOR 5L AND 5R INOP. THEY CALL IN DEFECT FOR REPAIR. NO REPAIRS TAKE PLACE. MAINT RPT COMES UP AT XA20Z WITH: GRIPE: INTERPHONE AT DOOR 5L AND 5R INOP. MR X DEFERS VIA USING ATA CHAPTER 23; MEL ITEM XYZ. THIS MEL STATES IN CREW INSTRUCTIONS PARAGRAPH A: 'THE FOLLOWING MUST OPERATE NORMALLY: 1 HANDSET AT EACH PAIR OF MAIN EXIT DOORS.' PURSER; ENTIRE CREW BELIEVE THAT DEFERRAL IS ILLEGAL. NOTIFY MAINT IN ZZZ AND WE ARE RUDELY TOLD THAT WE DO NOT KNOW HOW TO READ THE MEL; THEY WILL SEND SOMEONE UP TO READ IT CORRECTLY. NOBODY EVER ARRIVED FOR 'THE READING.' NOTIFY DISPATCHER MR Y AND FLT OPS DUTY MGR MR Z; ASKING THEM TO EACH READ THE SAME MEL. EVERYONE AGREES THAT THE DEFERRAL IS ILLEGAL. REFUSE ACFT AS IS; ADVISE MAINT SUCH. MEANWHILE AS FLT ATTENDANTS TRY TO FURTHER USE THE INTERPHONE MORE DEFECTS ARE SURFACING THROUGH TIME. PURSER INDICATES THAT THIS SERIAL NUMBER PLANE HAS HAD THESE ISSUES FOR MANY WKS; STILL UNREPAIRED. NOW INTERPHONES AT 4L AND 4R QUIT; FOLLOWED BY 2R AND THEN THE ENTIRE UPPER DECK (3 POS). MEL ALSO STATES 'UPPER DECK INTERPHONE STATION LOCATED CLOSEST TO COCKPIT' MUST OPERATE NORMALLY. SEND MORE MAINT RPTS. NOTIFY MR Y AND MR Z AGAIN AT DISPATCH OF WORSENING SITUATION. NO RESPONSE FROM ZZZ MAINT. FINALLY LEARN FROM PAX SVC THEY ARE GOING TO STEAL PARTS FROM INBOUND FLT UPON ARR. EVENTUALLY STEAL PARTS AND GET SYS WORKING. ANOTHER DISTURBING ILLEGAL AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE IN CONFLICT WITH THE MEL; MY SECOND ONE IN 9 LEGS. MY AIRMAN CERTIFICATE AND MR Y'S DISPATCH LICENSE WERE PUT AT RISK WITH THIS ILLEGAL AIRWORTHINESS RELEASE.