Air carrier dispatcher cites airline management policy as deficient in understaffing the dispatch po...

Attributes
ACN	199892
Time
Date	199201
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sea
State Reference	WA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other
ASRS Report	199892
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Our airline has 4 dispatch desks on the day and swing shifts. We have had 4 desks for a few years and has continued to grow as well as the workload. On the days in question I was working one of the desks on the swing shift. A dispatcher who was assigned to another desk had called in sick and the company chose not to cover the shift. I was to cover both desks. We did not have an assistant dispatcher on duty that night. Next day there was an assistant dispatcher on so they had that person work the desk and I was to oversee that work. When we train people on our desk they work with a dispatcher and use that dispatcher name on these releases. The dispatcher whose name is being used is seated next to the student. They can monitor the use of their name on those releases. On that day I was working my own desk and my workload was heavy with having to amend a lot of releases. I was unable to monitor all of the work of the assistant. I am not aware of any mistakes made during these two days however I feel that the possibility of something to happen is far greater under these conditions and that safety is being compromised.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR DISPATCHER CITES AIRLINE MGMNT POLICY AS DEFICIENT IN UNDERSTAFFING THE DISPATCH POS WHEN SHORTHANDED DUE OTHER DISPATCHER CALLING IN SICK AND NOT HAVING FULLY QUALIFIED DISPATCHERS WORK THEIR POSITIONS.

Narrative: OUR AIRLINE HAS 4 DISPATCH DESKS ON THE DAY AND SWING SHIFTS. WE HAVE HAD 4 DESKS FOR A FEW YEARS AND HAS CONTINUED TO GROW AS WELL AS THE WORKLOAD. ON THE DAYS IN QUESTION I WAS WORKING ONE OF THE DESKS ON THE SWING SHIFT. A DISPATCHER WHO WAS ASSIGNED TO ANOTHER DESK HAD CALLED IN SICK AND THE COMPANY CHOSE NOT TO COVER THE SHIFT. I WAS TO COVER BOTH DESKS. WE DID NOT HAVE AN ASSISTANT DISPATCHER ON DUTY THAT NIGHT. NEXT DAY THERE WAS AN ASSISTANT DISPATCHER ON SO THEY HAD THAT PERSON WORK THE DESK AND I WAS TO OVERSEE THAT WORK. WHEN WE TRAIN PEOPLE ON OUR DESK THEY WORK WITH A DISPATCHER AND USE THAT DISPATCHER NAME ON THESE RELEASES. THE DISPATCHER WHOSE NAME IS BEING USED IS SEATED NEXT TO THE STUDENT. THEY CAN MONITOR THE USE OF THEIR NAME ON THOSE RELEASES. ON THAT DAY I WAS WORKING MY OWN DESK AND MY WORKLOAD WAS HVY WITH HAVING TO AMEND A LOT OF RELEASES. I WAS UNABLE TO MONITOR ALL OF THE WORK OF THE ASSISTANT. I AM NOT AWARE OF ANY MISTAKES MADE DURING THESE TWO DAYS HOWEVER I FEEL THAT THE POSSIBILITY OF SOMETHING TO HAPPEN IS FAR GREATER UNDER THESE CONDITIONS AND THAT SAFETY IS BEING COMPROMISED.

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.

Air carrier dispatcher cites airline management policy as deficient in understaffing the dispatch position when shorthanded due other dispatcher calling in sick and not having fully qualified dispatchers work their positions.