Narrative:

Scheduled flight pbi-cle was 'flag-stopped' in clt to accommodate passenger stranded there due to a mechanical failure on another company flight which had deviated there earlier due to a passenger medical emergency. I, as the dispatcher, was asked to stop scheduled flight in clt. Having dispatched charter flts to clt previously, and having frequently used clt as a listed alternate airport, my immediate reaction was 'no problem'. At the time this request was made I was working under 'high intensity' and somewhat stressful conditions due to an abnormally intense and widespread WX system which was impacting our operation significantly. I accepted the flag-stop, thinking in terms of 'charter operation'. I gave the flight an alternate of atl even though the clt WX forecast was good VFR. (Thinking still in terms of charter.) all normal charter procedures were followed except for 2 items: 1) giving a charter number, and 2) checking 'operation specifications. ATC filings were made and the crew briefed. The error made was that clt is listed as an alternate only, leaving me legally unable to dispatch a 'scheduled flight' to the off line station. The flight operated without event to clt and cle. Recommendations: in my opinion, under the circumstances, (time limits, WX conditions, etc) this is an understandable, though unacceptable, situation. Safety of flight was not jeopardized. However, perhaps more emphasis (using examples like this) should be placed on training in the differences of alternate/destination/fuel airports and why the differences.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMPANY DISPATCHER DISPATCHED AND FLT CREW SCHEDULED FLT INTO AN ARPT LISTED IN COMPANY OPERATIONS MANUAL AS ALTERNATE ARPT ONLY.

Narrative: SCHEDULED FLT PBI-CLE WAS 'FLAG-STOPPED' IN CLT TO ACCOMMODATE PAX STRANDED THERE DUE TO A MECHANICAL FAILURE ON ANOTHER COMPANY FLT WHICH HAD DEVIATED THERE EARLIER DUE TO A PAX MEDICAL EMER. I, AS THE DISPATCHER, WAS ASKED TO STOP SCHEDULED FLT IN CLT. HAVING DISPATCHED CHARTER FLTS TO CLT PREVIOUSLY, AND HAVING FREQUENTLY USED CLT AS A LISTED ALTERNATE ARPT, MY IMMEDIATE REACTION WAS 'NO PROBLEM'. AT THE TIME THIS REQUEST WAS MADE I WAS WORKING UNDER 'HIGH INTENSITY' AND SOMEWHAT STRESSFUL CONDITIONS DUE TO AN ABNORMALLY INTENSE AND WIDESPREAD WX SYSTEM WHICH WAS IMPACTING OUR OPERATION SIGNIFICANTLY. I ACCEPTED THE FLAG-STOP, THINKING IN TERMS OF 'CHARTER OPERATION'. I GAVE THE FLT AN ALTERNATE OF ATL EVEN THOUGH THE CLT WX FORECAST WAS GOOD VFR. (THINKING STILL IN TERMS OF CHARTER.) ALL NORMAL CHARTER PROCS WERE FOLLOWED EXCEPT FOR 2 ITEMS: 1) GIVING A CHARTER NUMBER, AND 2) CHECKING 'OPERATION SPECIFICATIONS. ATC FILINGS WERE MADE AND THE CREW BRIEFED. THE ERROR MADE WAS THAT CLT IS LISTED AS AN ALTERNATE ONLY, LEAVING ME LEGALLY UNABLE TO DISPATCH A 'SCHEDULED FLT' TO THE OFF LINE STATION. THE FLT OPERATED WITHOUT EVENT TO CLT AND CLE. RECOMMENDATIONS: IN MY OPINION, UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES, (TIME LIMITS, WX CONDITIONS, ETC) THIS IS AN UNDERSTANDABLE, THOUGH UNACCEPTABLE, SITUATION. SAFETY OF FLT WAS NOT JEOPARDIZED. HOWEVER, PERHAPS MORE EMPHASIS (USING EXAMPLES LIKE THIS) SHOULD BE PLACED ON TRAINING IN THE DIFFERENCES OF ALTERNATE/DEST/FUEL ARPTS AND WHY THE DIFFERENCES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.