Dispatcher reports possible ATC reroutes account weather are being coordinated between the FAA and t...

Attributes
ACN	790056
Time
Date	200806
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : den.airport
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
Qualification	other
ASRS Report	790056
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : 1
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

Flight was sent a message by den ramp tower that stated 'please call dispatch. FAA looking to send you 2 an east gate; not north for WX.' I saw this message on my computer and was investigating what was going on when I got a 'call me' from flight. I sent an ACARS telling him that I was trying to find out what this message meant and that if this was not what the 'call me' was about to let me know. I talked to P1 and she was trying to tell me that the tower wanted to send the outbound flight over the east departure gate instead of north gate for WX. This took a couple of mins to figure out since she was a little frantic and was trying to do several things at once. My first problem is that this message was sent to the wrong flight. My second problem is that if it was the right flight that she was sending it to; now she is sending them information that I am going to be asked about that I have no knowledge of. I think the FAA tower should be calling the ATC coordinator with potential rertes; not the den ramp tower. If that was the procedure; this never would have happened.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DISPATCHER REPORTS POSSIBLE ATC REROUTES ACCOUNT WEATHER ARE BEING COORDINATED BETWEEN THE FAA AND THE FLT CREWS VIA THE RAMP CTLR; LEAVING DISPATCH OUT OF THE LOOP.

Narrative: FLT WAS SENT A MESSAGE BY DEN RAMP TWR THAT STATED 'PLEASE CALL DISPATCH. FAA LOOKING TO SEND YOU 2 AN E GATE; NOT N FOR WX.' I SAW THIS MESSAGE ON MY COMPUTER AND WAS INVESTIGATING WHAT WAS GOING ON WHEN I GOT A 'CALL ME' FROM FLT. I SENT AN ACARS TELLING HIM THAT I WAS TRYING TO FIND OUT WHAT THIS MESSAGE MEANT AND THAT IF THIS WAS NOT WHAT THE 'CALL ME' WAS ABOUT TO LET ME KNOW. I TALKED TO P1 AND SHE WAS TRYING TO TELL ME THAT THE TWR WANTED TO SEND THE OUTBOUND FLT OVER THE E DEP GATE INSTEAD OF N GATE FOR WX. THIS TOOK A COUPLE OF MINS TO FIGURE OUT SINCE SHE WAS A LITTLE FRANTIC AND WAS TRYING TO DO SEVERAL THINGS AT ONCE. MY FIRST PROB IS THAT THIS MESSAGE WAS SENT TO THE WRONG FLT. MY SECOND PROB IS THAT IF IT WAS THE RIGHT FLT THAT SHE WAS SENDING IT TO; NOW SHE IS SENDING THEM INFO THAT I AM GOING TO BE ASKED ABOUT THAT I HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF. I THINK THE FAA TWR SHOULD BE CALLING THE ATC COORDINATOR WITH POTENTIAL RERTES; NOT THE DEN RAMP TWR. IF THAT WAS THE PROC; THIS NEVER WOULD HAVE HAPPENED.

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.

Dispatcher reports possible ATC reroutes account weather are being coordinated between the FAA and the flight crews via the ramp controller; leaving dispatch out of the loop.