Narrative:

Around XA15 I was informed that a problem had been discovered with the -700 aircraft with winglets. We were told not to let any other -700 aircraft depart. However, the flts en route were allowed to continue after several mins of questioning various chiefs about the nature of the problem. I was told it would require a precautionary inspection of the winglet installation and a diversion was not necessary. Several mins later, I was given a prepared statement by a chief pilot, that stated, pending a precautionary inspection of winglet installations turn off all navigation lights and strobes. I sent that message by ACARS followed by a secondary message to please call dispatch to speak to a chief pilot concerning the situation. At the time the messages were sent, the flight was near XXX. I asked another chief if I should just drop into YYY. The answer was 'it's an (company) imposed inspection and it wouldn't be necessary.' I feel that management took operational control of my flight and withheld information from me and pilots which possibly put passenger and crew in harms way. After reviewing the FARS, it appears that several may have been violated since no emergency was declared.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-700 DISPATCHER WAS TOLD THAT ALL ACFT ON THE GND WERE NOT TO TAKE OFF BECAUSE OF POSSIBLE FUEL LEAKS IN THE WINGLET AREA. THE DISPATCHER ASKED ABOUT ACFT INFLT. HE WAS TOLD NOT TO CONTACT THE FLT CREWS, OR DIVERT ANY ACFT. THE DISPATCHER CONSIDERS THE CHIEF PLT'S ACTION A VIOLATION OF FARS REGARDING DISPATCHER'S RESPONSIBILITY.

Narrative: AROUND XA15 I WAS INFORMED THAT A PROB HAD BEEN DISCOVERED WITH THE -700 ACFT WITH WINGLETS. WE WERE TOLD NOT TO LET ANY OTHER -700 ACFT DEPART. HOWEVER, THE FLTS ENRTE WERE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE AFTER SEVERAL MINS OF QUESTIONING VARIOUS CHIEFS ABOUT THE NATURE OF THE PROB. I WAS TOLD IT WOULD REQUIRE A PRECAUTIONARY INSPECTION OF THE WINGLET INSTALLATION AND A DIVERSION WAS NOT NECESSARY. SEVERAL MINS LATER, I WAS GIVEN A PREPARED STATEMENT BY A CHIEF PLT, THAT STATED, PENDING A PRECAUTIONARY INSPECTION OF WINGLET INSTALLATIONS TURN OFF ALL NAV LIGHTS AND STROBES. I SENT THAT MESSAGE BY ACARS FOLLOWED BY A SECONDARY MESSAGE TO PLEASE CALL DISPATCH TO SPEAK TO A CHIEF PLT CONCERNING THE SIT. AT THE TIME THE MESSAGES WERE SENT, THE FLT WAS NEAR XXX. I ASKED ANOTHER CHIEF IF I SHOULD JUST DROP INTO YYY. THE ANSWER WAS 'IT'S AN (COMPANY) IMPOSED INSPECTION AND IT WOULDN'T BE NECESSARY.' I FEEL THAT MGMNT TOOK OPERATIONAL CTL OF MY FLT AND WITHHELD INFO FROM ME AND PLTS WHICH POSSIBLY PUT PAX AND CREW IN HARMS WAY. AFTER REVIEWING THE FARS, IT APPEARS THAT SEVERAL MAY HAVE BEEN VIOLATED SINCE NO EMER WAS DECLARED.

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.