AN ACR DISPATCHER IN TURNING OVER FLT STATUS TO NEXT SHIFT MAY HAVE MISSED BRIEFING ON SOME FLTS IN THE AIR CAUSED BY INADEQUATE STAFFING.

Narrative

I AM A FLT DISPATCHER FOR ACR IN ZZZ. DUE TO A PERSONNEL SHORTAGE; MGMNT IS HAVING A HARD TIME STAFFING ALL DISPATCH POS FROM TIME-TO-TIME. ON JUN/XA/99 I WORKED DESK XA00 TO XJ00. I NOTICED ABOUT XE00; MY DESK WAS UNCOVERED FOR THE NEXT SHIFT. ABOUT XH00; XXXX (THE SECRETARY WHO COVERS THE SCHEDULE) CALLED AND ASKED ME IF I COULD STAY AN EXTRA HR TILL XK00 BECAUSE I HAD NO RELIEF. I SAID I WOULD STAY. USUALLY WHEN THIS HAPPENS; THE OFFICE MGR CHKS YOUR LIST OF FLTS AND TAKES THE ONES THAT TERMINATE AFTER YOU'RE DUE OFF AND GIVES THEM TO ANOTHER DESK; SO WHEN YOU LEAVE; ALL YOUR FLTS ARE TERMINATED AND THE DESK IS CLOSED. I ASKED THE OFFICE MGR WHAT THEY PLANNED TO DO AND WAS TOLD THEY WERE VERY BUSY AND SHE HAD NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN BEFORE. ABOUT XJ00 I ASKED AGAIN. BY THIS TIME I HAD RELEASED ALL MY FLTS SINCE THE SHIFT USUALLY ENDS AT XJ00. SHE TOLD ME SHE WAS GOING TO SEND OUT A MESSAGE ASSIGNING THE FLTS FROM MY DESK TO OTHER DISPATCHERS. I ASKED WHAT I SHOULD DO WITH THE FLTS I STILL HAD FLYING. SHE SAID 'GIVE THEM TO THE OTHER 3 DISPATCHES AT YOUR QUAD.' I DISAGREED WITH THAT AND TOLD HER I WOULD GIVE THEM TO THE DISPATCHER THAT PICKS UP THE NEXT LEG FROM THAT AIRPLANE. SHE SAID THAT WAS FINE. I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR A MESSAGE TO BE SENT FROM THE MGR SINCE XH00. AT XJ45 A MESSAGE WAS SENT OUT WITH A LIST OF FLTS AND WHICH DISPATCHER MUST PULL THEM OVER TO THEIR DESKS. I NOW MUST GO THROUGH THE WORK SHEET AND MAKE SURE THE FLTS ARE ASSIGNED TO ANOTHER DESK AND THEN FIND OUT WHAT DESK TO SEND MY FLTS TO THAT ARE STILL IN THE AIR. I WAS SO RUSHED I MAY HAVE MISSED A FEW TURNOVERS TO OTHER DISPATCHER PICKING UP THE FLTS I STILL HAD IN THE AIR.