Narrative:

The crew was to depart ZZZ1 for ZZZ6 and continue to ZZZ3. Earlier that day; the crew had checked and discussed the WX in ZZZ1; ZZZ3 and ZZZ2. I checked the WX in ZZZ2 before leaving ZZZ4 (the first leg of the day) and noticed the current conditions and the forecast conditions for our ETA. Throughout the day and prior to flight; we pulled up the WX reports. Prior to departing to the gate; delayed due to inbound aircraft; I checked the WX and contacted dispatch in regards to the fact that the WX indicated at our ETA we would have 1/4 mi visibility; heavy and blowing snow with snow pellets. This was based on the taf. My main concern was the visibility. I was connected to my dispatcher and was advised of the WX en route to ZZZ2. I asked for station WX. I was told that the bridge flight from ZZZ3-ZZZ2 had left and was en route and that the aircraft was needed in ZZZ3. I mentioned the forecast conditions at my ETA did not give me legal WX at my ETA. I was advised that I would be dispatched to ZZZ2 and would land at ZZZ5 (the stated alternate); repos the aircraft to ZZZ3 while the passenger were to be bussed to ZZZ2. I queried the dispatcher and asked if I was going to be redispatched in-flight to go to ZZZ5 although released to go to ZZZ2 even though the WX only indicated 1/4 mi. He replied yes; and I mentioned that I was not able to be redispatched in-flight. As I attempted to locate that in my fom; I was told I was going to be connected to a supervisor. After a brief hold; the shift supervisor came on line and told me he was looking at the WX and that the WX at ZZZ5 was ok and the surrounding areas. He also looked at the radar and apparently a ZZZ2 meter that was a few hours hold. I asked if I was going to ZZZ5 or ZZZ2; and he implied that I was going to be dispatched to ZZZ2 and would land in ZZZ5. Again; stating the re-dispatching and the fact that my WX was only 1/4 mi at my ETA; I told him that I would not leave for ZZZ2 unless I had other WX reports indicating I had the legal WX. He then proceeded to tell me about the surrounding areas WX and the radar and told me based on fom I was legal to go to ZZZ2. I read that paragraph to him emphasizing 'minimums at the estimated time of arrival at the airport or airports to which dispatched.' I failed to see why he did not understand the WX conditions at ZZZ2; the obvious downward WX trends; or the fact that I cannot use WX at ZZZ5 or vors or other en route stations to be dispatched to and land at ZZZ2. We decided to call the flight manager. While the crew was walking to the gate; I was put on hold. After 10 mins or so; the dispatcher advised me he spoke to the flight manager and mentioned the WX to him. Not thinking it was right to discuss this situation without me in the conversation with the flight manager; I requested that the flight manager be called back. I explained the situation in detail. The flight manager asked if between the captain and dispatcher if we could come up with a conclusion. Also; I asked if I was missing any of the WX the dispatchers were looking at. We were then discussing just being dispatched to ZZZ5 and then continuing to ZZZ3. I wanted assurance that I would not be called en route to land at ZZZ2 (re-dispatch). Then the inbound captain was coming off the aircraft and I asked the two to hold. The inbound captain informed me that there was a mechanical and that maintenance would probably be doing some extensive maintenance on the radome. When I returned to the line; apparently the flight manager had hung up and I informed dispatch about the maintenance thinking maybe they did not know yet. A delay was posted for XA45. I was asked to go to ZZZ5 or wherever I wanted to go to. Then I recommended we wait 1 hour to see if the WX improves in ZZZ2. If and only if so; then we could go to ZZZ2. Both the dispatcher and I agreed to do so; and I was told the flight manager would call the gate later in 1 hour. After the dispatcher and I agreed to do what I felt was the most prudent; ie; wait for an improvement and new WX reports; actually complete the routing; and avoiding ZZZ5 altogether; by going to ZZZ2 albeit late; the lead supervisor got on the phone. He quickly and rudely told me he had been listening to this for the past 20 mins; and that we were going to ZZZ5 using the same flight number; bus the people; repos us and that he could do what he wants. He seemed irritated about my decision and the fact that I was looking at the WX reports that showed an ETA WX of 1/4 mi. I calmly told him about deciding this based on my information about the WX and the fact that legally I did not have the WX and that dispatch could not provide me with anything else refuting it. He then told me those WX reports were usually inaccurate and that I would probably have the WX anyway. He then; unprofessionally; told me that those reports were put in by college students and were usually wrong. To that I said that he could not have it both ways; ie; meaning that when the WX is good; you believe the college boys -- and when it is bad; you do not. That conversation left me uneasy and questioning his way of ignoring WX when he wants to. I had no problem going to ZZZ5 with an alternate to ZZZ3 and never going to ZZZ2. After a gate and aircraft swap; WX and dispatch packets (ba in ZZZ5 was good and verified by dispatch); ramp closure in ZZZ1; never landing at ZZZ5 due to revised ba reports and winds; potential holding at abc VOR due to ground stops in ZZZ3; we landed in ZZZ3. I am not sure why this got as far as it did. I did not mind about discussing plans of actions with dispatch because that is how we arrive at a mutual agreement that is both safe and legal. We had already decided on waiting for new changes of WX. Why the dispatch supervisor did what he did; I do not know. All I know is that there was the possibility we could have gone to ZZZ2 albeit late. The aircraft eventually arrived in ZZZ3; just like dispatch wanted. I know there is pressure not only on the pilot's side but on the dispatch side. They are not in the elements nor do they always see what we see. I think that sometimes instead of coming to a conclusion it is a 'my way or no way' which can be adversarial. This is an operation that needs to have dispatchers and pilots working together to get a flight out safely and legally; not just on time or because they need an aircraft back in a maintenance base.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SF34 CAPTAIN REPORTS EFFORTS BY DISPATCHER TO GET A FLT CREW TO DEP WHEN THE FORECAST AT THE DESTINATION PRECLUDED DOING SO LEGALLY.

Narrative: THE CREW WAS TO DEPART ZZZ1 FOR ZZZ6 AND CONTINUE TO ZZZ3. EARLIER THAT DAY; THE CREW HAD CHKED AND DISCUSSED THE WX IN ZZZ1; ZZZ3 AND ZZZ2. I CHKED THE WX IN ZZZ2 BEFORE LEAVING ZZZ4 (THE FIRST LEG OF THE DAY) AND NOTICED THE CURRENT CONDITIONS AND THE FORECAST CONDITIONS FOR OUR ETA. THROUGHOUT THE DAY AND PRIOR TO FLT; WE PULLED UP THE WX RPTS. PRIOR TO DEPARTING TO THE GATE; DELAYED DUE TO INBOUND ACFT; I CHKED THE WX AND CONTACTED DISPATCH IN REGARDS TO THE FACT THAT THE WX INDICATED AT OUR ETA WE WOULD HAVE 1/4 MI VISIBILITY; HVY AND BLOWING SNOW WITH SNOW PELLETS. THIS WAS BASED ON THE TAF. MY MAIN CONCERN WAS THE VISIBILITY. I WAS CONNECTED TO MY DISPATCHER AND WAS ADVISED OF THE WX ENRTE TO ZZZ2. I ASKED FOR STATION WX. I WAS TOLD THAT THE BRIDGE FLT FROM ZZZ3-ZZZ2 HAD LEFT AND WAS ENRTE AND THAT THE ACFT WAS NEEDED IN ZZZ3. I MENTIONED THE FORECAST CONDITIONS AT MY ETA DID NOT GIVE ME LEGAL WX AT MY ETA. I WAS ADVISED THAT I WOULD BE DISPATCHED TO ZZZ2 AND WOULD LAND AT ZZZ5 (THE STATED ALTERNATE); REPOS THE ACFT TO ZZZ3 WHILE THE PAX WERE TO BE BUSSED TO ZZZ2. I QUERIED THE DISPATCHER AND ASKED IF I WAS GOING TO BE REDISPATCHED INFLT TO GO TO ZZZ5 ALTHOUGH RELEASED TO GO TO ZZZ2 EVEN THOUGH THE WX ONLY INDICATED 1/4 MI. HE REPLIED YES; AND I MENTIONED THAT I WAS NOT ABLE TO BE REDISPATCHED INFLT. AS I ATTEMPTED TO LOCATE THAT IN MY FOM; I WAS TOLD I WAS GOING TO BE CONNECTED TO A SUPVR. AFTER A BRIEF HOLD; THE SHIFT SUPVR CAME ON LINE AND TOLD ME HE WAS LOOKING AT THE WX AND THAT THE WX AT ZZZ5 WAS OK AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS. HE ALSO LOOKED AT THE RADAR AND APPARENTLY A ZZZ2 METER THAT WAS A FEW HRS HOLD. I ASKED IF I WAS GOING TO ZZZ5 OR ZZZ2; AND HE IMPLIED THAT I WAS GOING TO BE DISPATCHED TO ZZZ2 AND WOULD LAND IN ZZZ5. AGAIN; STATING THE RE-DISPATCHING AND THE FACT THAT MY WX WAS ONLY 1/4 MI AT MY ETA; I TOLD HIM THAT I WOULD NOT LEAVE FOR ZZZ2 UNLESS I HAD OTHER WX RPTS INDICATING I HAD THE LEGAL WX. HE THEN PROCEEDED TO TELL ME ABOUT THE SURROUNDING AREAS WX AND THE RADAR AND TOLD ME BASED ON FOM I WAS LEGAL TO GO TO ZZZ2. I READ THAT PARAGRAPH TO HIM EMPHASIZING 'MINIMUMS AT THE ESTIMATED TIME OF ARR AT THE ARPT OR ARPTS TO WHICH DISPATCHED.' I FAILED TO SEE WHY HE DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE WX CONDITIONS AT ZZZ2; THE OBVIOUS DOWNWARD WX TRENDS; OR THE FACT THAT I CANNOT USE WX AT ZZZ5 OR VORS OR OTHER ENRTE STATIONS TO BE DISPATCHED TO AND LAND AT ZZZ2. WE DECIDED TO CALL THE FLT MGR. WHILE THE CREW WAS WALKING TO THE GATE; I WAS PUT ON HOLD. AFTER 10 MINS OR SO; THE DISPATCHER ADVISED ME HE SPOKE TO THE FLT MGR AND MENTIONED THE WX TO HIM. NOT THINKING IT WAS RIGHT TO DISCUSS THIS SITUATION WITHOUT ME IN THE CONVERSATION WITH THE FLT MGR; I REQUESTED THAT THE FLT MGR BE CALLED BACK. I EXPLAINED THE SITUATION IN DETAIL. THE FLT MGR ASKED IF BTWN THE CAPT AND DISPATCHER IF WE COULD COME UP WITH A CONCLUSION. ALSO; I ASKED IF I WAS MISSING ANY OF THE WX THE DISPATCHERS WERE LOOKING AT. WE WERE THEN DISCUSSING JUST BEING DISPATCHED TO ZZZ5 AND THEN CONTINUING TO ZZZ3. I WANTED ASSURANCE THAT I WOULD NOT BE CALLED ENRTE TO LAND AT ZZZ2 (RE-DISPATCH). THEN THE INBOUND CAPT WAS COMING OFF THE ACFT AND I ASKED THE TWO TO HOLD. THE INBOUND CAPT INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS A MECHANICAL AND THAT MAINT WOULD PROBABLY BE DOING SOME EXTENSIVE MAINT ON THE RADOME. WHEN I RETURNED TO THE LINE; APPARENTLY THE FLT MGR HAD HUNG UP AND I INFORMED DISPATCH ABOUT THE MAINT THINKING MAYBE THEY DID NOT KNOW YET. A DELAY WAS POSTED FOR XA45. I WAS ASKED TO GO TO ZZZ5 OR WHEREVER I WANTED TO GO TO. THEN I RECOMMENDED WE WAIT 1 HR TO SEE IF THE WX IMPROVES IN ZZZ2. IF AND ONLY IF SO; THEN WE COULD GO TO ZZZ2. BOTH THE DISPATCHER AND I AGREED TO DO SO; AND I WAS TOLD THE FLT MGR WOULD CALL THE GATE LATER IN 1 HR. AFTER THE DISPATCHER AND I AGREED TO DO WHAT I FELT WAS THE MOST PRUDENT; IE; WAIT FOR AN IMPROVEMENT AND NEW WX RPTS; ACTUALLY COMPLETE THE ROUTING; AND AVOIDING ZZZ5 ALTOGETHER; BY GOING TO ZZZ2 ALBEIT LATE; THE LEAD SUPVR GOT ON THE PHONE. HE QUICKLY AND RUDELY TOLD ME HE HAD BEEN LISTENING TO THIS FOR THE PAST 20 MINS; AND THAT WE WERE GOING TO ZZZ5 USING THE SAME FLT NUMBER; BUS THE PEOPLE; REPOS US AND THAT HE COULD DO WHAT HE WANTS. HE SEEMED IRRITATED ABOUT MY DECISION AND THE FACT THAT I WAS LOOKING AT THE WX RPTS THAT SHOWED AN ETA WX OF 1/4 MI. I CALMLY TOLD HIM ABOUT DECIDING THIS BASED ON MY INFO ABOUT THE WX AND THE FACT THAT LEGALLY I DID NOT HAVE THE WX AND THAT DISPATCH COULD NOT PROVIDE ME WITH ANYTHING ELSE REFUTING IT. HE THEN TOLD ME THOSE WX RPTS WERE USUALLY INACCURATE AND THAT I WOULD PROBABLY HAVE THE WX ANYWAY. HE THEN; UNPROFESSIONALLY; TOLD ME THAT THOSE RPTS WERE PUT IN BY COLLEGE STUDENTS AND WERE USUALLY WRONG. TO THAT I SAID THAT HE COULD NOT HAVE IT BOTH WAYS; IE; MEANING THAT WHEN THE WX IS GOOD; YOU BELIEVE THE COLLEGE BOYS -- AND WHEN IT IS BAD; YOU DO NOT. THAT CONVERSATION LEFT ME UNEASY AND QUESTIONING HIS WAY OF IGNORING WX WHEN HE WANTS TO. I HAD NO PROB GOING TO ZZZ5 WITH AN ALTERNATE TO ZZZ3 AND NEVER GOING TO ZZZ2. AFTER A GATE AND ACFT SWAP; WX AND DISPATCH PACKETS (BA IN ZZZ5 WAS GOOD AND VERIFIED BY DISPATCH); RAMP CLOSURE IN ZZZ1; NEVER LNDG AT ZZZ5 DUE TO REVISED BA RPTS AND WINDS; POTENTIAL HOLDING AT ABC VOR DUE TO GND STOPS IN ZZZ3; WE LANDED IN ZZZ3. I AM NOT SURE WHY THIS GOT AS FAR AS IT DID. I DID NOT MIND ABOUT DISCUSSING PLANS OF ACTIONS WITH DISPATCH BECAUSE THAT IS HOW WE ARRIVE AT A MUTUAL AGREEMENT THAT IS BOTH SAFE AND LEGAL. WE HAD ALREADY DECIDED ON WAITING FOR NEW CHANGES OF WX. WHY THE DISPATCH SUPVR DID WHAT HE DID; I DO NOT KNOW. ALL I KNOW IS THAT THERE WAS THE POSSIBILITY WE COULD HAVE GONE TO ZZZ2 ALBEIT LATE. THE ACFT EVENTUALLY ARRIVED IN ZZZ3; JUST LIKE DISPATCH WANTED. I KNOW THERE IS PRESSURE NOT ONLY ON THE PLT'S SIDE BUT ON THE DISPATCH SIDE. THEY ARE NOT IN THE ELEMENTS NOR DO THEY ALWAYS SEE WHAT WE SEE. I THINK THAT SOMETIMES INSTEAD OF COMING TO A CONCLUSION IT IS A 'MY WAY OR NO WAY' WHICH CAN BE ADVERSARIAL. THIS IS AN OP THAT NEEDS TO HAVE DISPATCHERS AND PLTS WORKING TOGETHER TO GET A FLT OUT SAFELY AND LEGALLY; NOT JUST ON TIME OR BECAUSE THEY NEED AN ACFT BACK IN A MAINT BASE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.