Narrative:

I was coordinating for the [company] code share. I was watching ACARS for all [company] flights when aircraft X messaged that they had been given a hold for a change of runway configuration. Dispatcher X was working that that flight and replied 'copy; shouldn't be long'. Dispatcher X did not send hold fuel numbers; although it should be noted that the flight did have a planned alternate. Dispatcher X then immediately left the building to pick up breakfast. Dispatcher X did not seem to realize they had another flight inbound to lga and I did not see them ask anyone to watch their flights. Aircraft Y sent a holding report via ACARS. Aircraft Y was sequenced directly behind aircraft X on the lga arrival and did not have a filed alternate. It was dispatcher X's aircraft. When I noticed that nobody responded to the ACARS I asked the other two dispatchers working dispatchers Y and Z if the dispatcher X had asked them to watch his flights. They said no; although dispatcher Y said that maybe dispatcher X assumed he was going to watch the desk even though he didn't ask explicitly. Dispatcher Y was on a phone call so I said I would run the numbers. I sent an ACARS at saying 'hold; standby for numbers'. While I was running hold numbers aircraft Y sent another ACARS at that they had been cleared in to lga. I acknowledged this and checked to see that aircraft X had been cleared in to lga as well. After the dispatcher X returned to their desk I asked them if they had asked anybody to watch their flights while they were gone. They said something along the lines of 'yeah; these guys' and gestured at the dispatcher Y and Z. I mentioned that he had another flight that held immediately after aircraft X and that I had started to run numbers for it until it was cleared in. They were surprised and thanked me. Both flights held only briefly in this instance and arrived safely; but the fact that a dispatcher left the building knowing he had a flight holding without sending hold fuel numbers or communicating a plan to the captain; without realizing he had another flight about to hold; and without specifically informing another dispatcher that he was leaving while a flight was holding and did not seem to think this was a big deal is concerning to me.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Dispatcher reported another Dispatcher left their duty station while they had flights holding without notifying their peers.

Narrative: I was coordinating for the [Company] code share. I was watching ACARS for all [Company] flights when Aircraft X messaged that they had been given a hold for a change of runway configuration. Dispatcher X was working that that flight and replied 'Copy; shouldn't be long'. Dispatcher X did not send hold fuel numbers; although it should be noted that the flight did have a planned alternate. Dispatcher X then immediately left the building to pick up breakfast. Dispatcher X did not seem to realize they had another flight inbound to LGA and I did not see them ask anyone to watch their flights. Aircraft Y sent a holding report via ACARS. Aircraft Y was sequenced directly behind Aircraft X on the LGA arrival and did not have a filed alternate. It was Dispatcher X's aircraft. When I noticed that nobody responded to the ACARS I asked the other two dispatchers working Dispatchers Y and Z if the Dispatcher X had asked them to watch his flights. They said no; although Dispatcher Y said that maybe Dispatcher X assumed he was going to watch the desk even though he didn't ask explicitly. Dispatcher Y was on a phone call so I said I would run the numbers. I sent an ACARS at saying 'hold; standby for numbers'. While I was running hold numbers Aircraft Y sent another ACARS at that they had been cleared in to LGA. I acknowledged this and checked to see that Aircraft X had been cleared in to LGA as well. After the Dispatcher X returned to their desk I asked them if they had asked anybody to watch their flights while they were gone. They said something along the lines of 'yeah; these guys' and gestured at the Dispatcher Y and Z. I mentioned that he had another flight that held immediately after Aircraft X and that I had started to run numbers for it until it was cleared in. They were surprised and thanked me. Both flights held only briefly in this instance and arrived safely; but the fact that a Dispatcher left the building knowing he had a flight holding without sending hold fuel numbers or communicating a plan to the Captain; without realizing he had another flight about to hold; and without specifically informing another Dispatcher that he was leaving while a flight was holding and did not seem to think this was a big deal is concerning to me.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.