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Air carrier dispatcher states that the elimination of several company dispatchers for cost savings has significantly increased workload and negatively impacted operations.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 691459 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200603 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : zzz.airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Altitude | agl single value : 0 |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | other personnel |
| Qualification | other |
| ASRS Report | 691459 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other other : 1 |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Company |
| Primary Problem | Company |
Narrative:
Due to high workload based on assuming control of 3 dispatch desks; I was unable to provide timely safety of flight information to 3 flts; and not able to reply to 2 flts in a timely manner. Turbulence was reported by a company flight. I had 7 flts departing through the area within 1 hour. I was able to advise 4 of 7 prior to them entering the area. At the same time; I had flts holding for lga; bos; and den. I also had a flight inbound with a captain's windshield cracked. In addition; I had 3 flts arriving at airports with just above reserve fuel. Picking up 33 aircraft nightly is too much. This is not an exception; it is a nightly occurrence since march 2006 when dispatch desks were closed to save money. The company is putting economics ahead of safety and compliance. Because of this; I may have violated FARS 121.533 and 121.601. If I did; it was not by any means intentional. The company needs to schedule adequate operational coverage.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACR DISPATCHER STATES THAT THE ELIMINATION OF SEVERAL COMPANY DISPATCHERS FOR COST SAVINGS HAS SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED WORKLOAD AND NEGATIVELY IMPACTED OPERATIONS.
Narrative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
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.