UPON DIRECTING THE FLT CREW OF AN MD80 TO DIVERT TO THEIR PLANNED ALTERNATE; A DISPATCHER IS ADVISED THE ALTERNATE IS NOT EQUIPPED TO HANDLE THAT TYPE ACFT. THIS INFORMATION IS INACCURATE; BUT CAUSES THE REPORTER MANY ANXIOUS MOMENTS.

Narrative

THE FLT EXPERIENCED SEVERE TURB AT 3000 FT ON THE APCH FOR A DURATION OF 5 MINS PER THE CAPT. THEY RPTED THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL ILL PAX ONBOARD DUE TO THE TURB AND 1 PAX WAS EXPERIENCING A POSSIBLE HEART ATTACK. THE FLT DECLARED AN EMER WITH ATC AND ASKED ME WHAT STATION COULD HE LAND AT THAT HAD NO TURB. THE CAPT WANTED TO DIVERT TO ZZZ1; SO I CALLED THE TWR TO CHK ON ANY RPTS OF TURB. ATC TWR RPTED TURB ALL ALTS ALL AROUND THE STATION. I THEN CALLED ZZZ2 ATC TWR AND THEY RPTED NO TURB. I TOLD THE CAPT TO DIVERT TO HIS PLANNED ALTERNATE OF ZZZ2. I THEN TRIED TO CALL THE STATION AND THERE WAS NO ANSWER AT THE OPS NUMBER (TYPICAL); AND TRIED 2 MORE GATES UNTIL I FINALLY REACHED AN AGENT. I TOLD THE AGENT THAT FLT X WAS DIVERTING TO THEIR STATION AND THAT PARAMEDICS AND MAINT WERE REQUIRED TO MEET THE ACFT UPON ARR. THE AGENT SAID THEY WERE UNABLE TO HANDLE AN MD80. THE AGENT ASKED IF I WANTED TO TALK TO THE OPS MGR OF ZZZ2; I SAID HAVE HER CALL ME. I CONTACTED CTR LOOKING FOR MY FLT TO HAVE HIM CONTACT DISPATCH IMMEDIATELY SO HE WOULDN'T DIVERT TO A STATION THAT COULDN'T HANDLE HIS ACFT. IN THE MEANTIME; THE OPS MGR AT ZZZ2 CONFIRMED THAT THEY COULD NOT HANDLE AN MD80. I HUNG UP AND TRIED TO CONTACT MY FLT WHEN A MGR TOLD ME THAT ZZZ2 NOW COULD HANDLE AN MD80 IN AN EMER SITUATION. ZZZ2 WAS USED AS AN ALTERNATE FOR ALL OF MY FLTS TO THE AREA. I HAVE USED ZZZ2 MANY TIMES FOR MY MD80 FLTS. THE COMPUTER ALLOWS YOU TO USE IT AS AN ALTERNATE. THE COMPANY RECORDS FILE SHOWS ZZZ2 AS A QUALIFIED ALTERNATE FOR AN MD80 ACFT. BUT WHEN I TRIED TO USE THE STATION THE AGENTS ARE TELLING ME IT IS NOT QUALIFIED. IF A STATION IS AN ALTERNATE IN OUR OP SPECS NO STATION SHOULD BE TELLING US THEY ARE NOT QUALIFIED.