Narrative:

During flight, captain asked for dca password over ACARS. I (dispatcher) am not allowed to give password over ACARS (and after flight has left!). I remember speaking with captain and unlocking his flight release, but do not recall if I gave him the password or not. Maybe he forgot it. Against the wall with major WX problems this day. I don't recall it being this busy/hectic in a long time. My particular desk is region specific and consequently you get nailed when WX concentrated in your area. Turnover was from a new dispatcher which added to increased workload. No help from company. I'd suggest requiring company to take action to bring in extra personnel to relieve increased workload from dispatchers during severe WX sessions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DISPATCHER RPTS AN ACR PLT ATTEMPTS TO HAVE HIS DISPATCHER ISSUE THE DCA SECURITY PASSWORD OVER ACARS IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH PROC.

Narrative: DURING FLT, CAPT ASKED FOR DCA PASSWORD OVER ACARS. I (DISPATCHER) AM NOT ALLOWED TO GIVE PASSWORD OVER ACARS (AND AFTER FLT HAS LEFT!). I REMEMBER SPEAKING WITH CAPT AND UNLOCKING HIS FLT RELEASE, BUT DO NOT RECALL IF I GAVE HIM THE PASSWORD OR NOT. MAYBE HE FORGOT IT. AGAINST THE WALL WITH MAJOR WX PROBS THIS DAY. I DON'T RECALL IT BEING THIS BUSY/HECTIC IN A LONG TIME. MY PARTICULAR DESK IS REGION SPECIFIC AND CONSEQUENTLY YOU GET NAILED WHEN WX CONCENTRATED IN YOUR AREA. TURNOVER WAS FROM A NEW DISPATCHER WHICH ADDED TO INCREASED WORKLOAD. NO HELP FROM COMPANY. I'D SUGGEST REQUIRING COMPANY TO TAKE ACTION TO BRING IN EXTRA PERSONNEL TO RELIEVE INCREASED WORKLOAD FROM DISPATCHERS DURING SEVERE WX SESSIONS.

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.