Narrative:

I was called by maintenance controller at approximately 25 mins prior to departure time; and advised that there was a shoulder harness/seatbelt issue with 1 of the 2 position on the 2-SEAT aft flight attendant jumpseat. Confirmed the other aft seat was usable. I read the MEL provisos and approved the placard. There were 3 flight attendants scheduled and; therefore; one of the aft seats was going to be empty. At about 12 mins prior to departure time; I received another call from maintenance controller -- this time for the 1-POS galley flight attendant jumpseat which was failing to stow automatically. I opened the MEL again and found that this would require an adjacent passenger seat for use by that flight attendant. The normal complement of equipment in the MEL was 4; with 2 required. Having forward and aft flight attendant seats; I interpreted this to mean that I was in compliance. Maintenance controller and I arranged to have at least the galley seat fixed at ZZZ1 which apparently just needed a new spring. We were concerned since all flts associated with this aircraft were booked to capacity. I informed the next dispatcher of my actions. I started trying to contact ZZZ to coordination blocking the seat for the galley -- a distracting process as ZZZ has recently discontinued the operations agent position. No one answered any of the telephone numbers I have there. After a lengthy process; I managed to get the captain to call me; messaging him via ACARS. Later; I was questioned by the next dispatcher about the interpretation of the MEL reference 25-08A. This dispatcher pointed out that the first sentence of the reference says that one seat may be deferred. I had not read it that way on the second deferral request. I had complied with the provisos; coordination with the station; flight crew; next dispatcher; and maintenance. I had the minimum equipment required for departure. This was a good question. I called maintenance controller and we both maintained that compliance was met. Dispatch training was contacted; and we did not reach a conclusion; thinking that it would be interesting to see the provisos in the flight attendant in-flight manual concerning displaced flight attendant(south). The MEL plainly specifies that more than one can be displaced.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9 WAS DISPATCHED WITH 2 CABIN ATTENDANT SEATS DEFERRED AS INOP IN CONFLICT WITH THE MEL REQUIREMENTS.

Narrative: I WAS CALLED BY MAINT CTLR AT APPROX 25 MINS PRIOR TO DEP TIME; AND ADVISED THAT THERE WAS A SHOULDER HARNESS/SEATBELT ISSUE WITH 1 OF THE 2 POS ON THE 2-SEAT AFT FLT ATTENDANT JUMPSEAT. CONFIRMED THE OTHER AFT SEAT WAS USABLE. I READ THE MEL PROVISOS AND APPROVED THE PLACARD. THERE WERE 3 FLT ATTENDANTS SCHEDULED AND; THEREFORE; ONE OF THE AFT SEATS WAS GOING TO BE EMPTY. AT ABOUT 12 MINS PRIOR TO DEP TIME; I RECEIVED ANOTHER CALL FROM MAINT CTLR -- THIS TIME FOR THE 1-POS GALLEY FLT ATTENDANT JUMPSEAT WHICH WAS FAILING TO STOW AUTOMATICALLY. I OPENED THE MEL AGAIN AND FOUND THAT THIS WOULD REQUIRE AN ADJACENT PAX SEAT FOR USE BY THAT FLT ATTENDANT. THE NORMAL COMPLEMENT OF EQUIP IN THE MEL WAS 4; WITH 2 REQUIRED. HAVING FORWARD AND AFT FLT ATTENDANT SEATS; I INTERPED THIS TO MEAN THAT I WAS IN COMPLIANCE. MAINT CTLR AND I ARRANGED TO HAVE AT LEAST THE GALLEY SEAT FIXED AT ZZZ1 WHICH APPARENTLY JUST NEEDED A NEW SPRING. WE WERE CONCERNED SINCE ALL FLTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ACFT WERE BOOKED TO CAPACITY. I INFORMED THE NEXT DISPATCHER OF MY ACTIONS. I STARTED TRYING TO CONTACT ZZZ TO COORD BLOCKING THE SEAT FOR THE GALLEY -- A DISTRACTING PROCESS AS ZZZ HAS RECENTLY DISCONTINUED THE OPS AGENT POS. NO ONE ANSWERED ANY OF THE TELEPHONE NUMBERS I HAVE THERE. AFTER A LENGTHY PROCESS; I MANAGED TO GET THE CAPT TO CALL ME; MESSAGING HIM VIA ACARS. LATER; I WAS QUESTIONED BY THE NEXT DISPATCHER ABOUT THE INTERP OF THE MEL REF 25-08A. THIS DISPATCHER POINTED OUT THAT THE FIRST SENTENCE OF THE REF SAYS THAT ONE SEAT MAY BE DEFERRED. I HAD NOT READ IT THAT WAY ON THE SECOND DEFERRAL REQUEST. I HAD COMPLIED WITH THE PROVISOS; COORD WITH THE STATION; FLT CREW; NEXT DISPATCHER; AND MAINT. I HAD THE MINIMUM EQUIP REQUIRED FOR DEP. THIS WAS A GOOD QUESTION. I CALLED MAINT CTLR AND WE BOTH MAINTAINED THAT COMPLIANCE WAS MET. DISPATCH TRAINING WAS CONTACTED; AND WE DID NOT REACH A CONCLUSION; THINKING THAT IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO SEE THE PROVISOS IN THE FLT ATTENDANT INFLT MANUAL CONCERNING DISPLACED FLT ATTENDANT(S). THE MEL PLAINLY SPECIFIES THAT MORE THAN ONE CAN BE DISPLACED.

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.