Narrative:

Maintenance control did not tell me that an MEL item was added to the aircraft; this MEL was added as the aircraft was taxiing to the runway for departure; the aircraft departed with out the MEL being on the release. The time that elapsed between the addition of the mel and the aircraft departing was eight minutes. When I asked the maintenance controller about the added MEL he said that he tried to get in touch with me; but I did not answer my intercom; I checked my intercom volume level and it was turned up so I could have heard it. He also stated he could not send me an instant message because he did not know what desk the aircraft was on regarding the dispatcher. I asked him why didn't you stand up and talk to me; we were only 15 feet from one another; his reply was I tried to get in touch with you and you didn't answer your intercom; I asked why didn't you contact my supervisor so he could tell me and he told me that if I have issues with how he handled it I should talk to his supervisor. This is not the first time this has happened a different maintenance controller did the same thing and stated that he tried to tell me of an MEL that was added or cleared but couldn't get in touch with us; so in their mind as long as they try regardless of the outcome; it is all they have to do; and when questioned about it; they say they don't have to tell us via the phone; instant messenger; or in person; because they have been instructed that all they have to do is add the MEL to the system and it will show up on our desk via the plot. Now my concern is that if this had been a serious mel like a anti ice MEL; or anti skid MEL and they don't tell us; and the aircraft departs all souls on board could have been lost. Time and time again we have this same problem of poor or no communication; the cause I feel in this case is that management refuses to put in place a communication policy and make it standard operating procedure; and hold employees responsible if it is not followed. We as dispatchers share the responsibility of the safety of each and every flight with the captain of those flights; yet we are the last to know of safety issues regarding these flights; because management will not recognize that we are a part of the checks and balance necessary to have a safe flight and controlled airline. There has to be a paradigm shift regarding the control and communications of all aspects of these flights; including the implementation of MEL's and anything that affects the operations of the airline in the eyes of safety of flight. Currently if there is something wrong with the aircraft we the dispatchers will not find out about it until the pilot calls it into maintenance control. Then we find out about it sometimes. It would be better if the captain would call us first; tell us of the maintenance issues; and then we would pass them along to maintenance control; this way we would be involved from step one and this would insure that we are a part of the process of adding and removing MEL's and to insure that the paper work is done correctly and the crews are made aware of any discrepancies or issues regarding that flight. The company has done a major office remodel to help communication; most feel this is not going to help; unless there is a communications policy put in effect. Given what happened in this instance it doesn't matter if your 15 feet apart or on the other side of the world; maintenance control has never been required to have positive communication with the dispatchers. I feel that we will continue to have operational control issues until the company takes the necessary steps to develop and implement a communications protocol; to define how each and every process happens; and to establish that the dispatcher should be in the front of the communication process not at the end. In regards to positive communication when adding MEL's or anything else it would be beneficial that maintenance control either use the instant messenger to tell us of the MEL and require a response that it was received to insure we were notified; if they didn't get a response they should take other steps to insure we get the information regarding MEL's or any other information regarding safety issues; so that there is proof positive that we got the information. For a professional to simply state that I tried; and to think that it is all that needs to be done; even if they don't get a response from the dispatcher is a true travesty in the eyes of safety.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A Dispatcher reported an ongoing breakdown in communications between dispatch and maintenance control with respect to MEL items that impact dispatch release requirements.

Narrative: Maintenance control did not tell me that an MEL item was added to the aircraft; this MEL was added as the aircraft was taxiing to the runway for departure; the aircraft departed with out the MEL being on the release. The time that elapsed between the addition of the mel and the aircraft departing was eight minutes. When I asked the Maintenance controller about the added MEL he said that he tried to get in touch with me; but I did not answer my intercom; I checked my intercom volume level and it was turned up so I could have heard it. He also stated he could not send me an instant message because he did not know what desk the aircraft was on regarding the dispatcher. I asked him why didn't you stand up and talk to me; we were only 15 feet from one another; his reply was I tried to get in touch with you and you didn't answer your intercom; I asked why didn't you contact my supervisor so he could tell me and he told me that if I have issues with how he handled it I should talk to his supervisor. This is not the first time this has happened a different Maintenance Controller did the same thing and stated that he tried to tell me of an MEL that was added or cleared but couldn't get in touch with us; so in their mind as long as they try regardless of the outcome; it is all they have to do; and when questioned about it; they say they don't have to tell us via the phone; instant messenger; or in person; because they have been instructed that all they have to do is add the MEL to the system and it will show up on our desk via the plot. Now my concern is that if this had been a serious mel like a anti ice MEL; or anti skid MEL and they don't tell us; and the aircraft departs all souls on board could have been lost. Time and time again we have this same problem of poor or no communication; the cause I feel in this case is that management refuses to put in place a communication policy and make it standard operating procedure; and hold employees responsible if it is not followed. We as dispatchers share the responsibility of the safety of each and every flight with the captain of those flights; yet we are the last to know of safety issues regarding these flights; because management will not recognize that we are a part of the checks and balance necessary to have a safe flight and controlled airline. There has to be a paradigm shift regarding the control and communications of all aspects of these flights; including the implementation of MEL's and anything that affects the operations of the airline in the eyes of safety of flight. Currently if there is something wrong with the aircraft we the dispatchers will not find out about it until the pilot calls it into Maintenance control. Then we find out about it sometimes. It would be better if the Captain would call us first; tell us of the maintenance issues; and then we would pass them along to maintenance control; this way we would be involved from step one and this would insure that we are a part of the process of adding and removing MEL's and to insure that the paper work is done correctly and the crews are made aware of any discrepancies or issues regarding that flight. The company has done a major office remodel to help communication; most feel this is not going to help; unless there is a communications policy put in effect. Given what happened in this instance it doesn't matter if your 15 feet apart or on the other side of the world; Maintenance control has never been required to have positive communication with the dispatchers. I feel that we will continue to have operational control issues until the company takes the necessary steps to develop and implement a communications protocol; to define how each and every process happens; and to establish that the dispatcher should be in the front of the communication process not at the end. In regards to positive communication when adding MEL's or anything else it would be beneficial that Maintenance control either use the instant messenger to tell us of the MEL and require a response that it was received to insure we were notified; If they didn't get a response they should take other steps to insure we get the information regarding MEL's or any other information regarding safety issues; so that there is proof positive that we got the information. For a professional to simply state that I tried; and to think that it is all that needs to be done; even if they don't get a response from the dispatcher is a true travesty in the eyes of safety.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.