Narrative:

On jun/xa/99 a dispatch desk was closed due to lack of personnel. The work from that desk was redistributed to other desks. At approximately XX00, when I was caught up on my own work, I checked this flight information and found it had been filed and released and ready to depart. Until I pulled this up, no dispatcher was monitoring this flight. I was not able to get a turnover from previous dispatcher -- he had gone home. Unsafe operation by company. I did accept the flight and advised captain I was now handling his flight. If this flight had been en route, the captain would not have had a dispatcher to contact.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DISPATCHER COMPLAINS REGARDING A HVY COMPANY WORKLOAD CAUSED A FLT READY FOR DEP TO NOT YET BE ASSIGNED A DISPATCHER FOR FLT FOLLOWING.

Narrative: ON JUN/XA/99 A DISPATCH DESK WAS CLOSED DUE TO LACK OF PERSONNEL. THE WORK FROM THAT DESK WAS REDISTRIBUTED TO OTHER DESKS. AT APPROX XX00, WHEN I WAS CAUGHT UP ON MY OWN WORK, I CHKED THIS FLT INFO AND FOUND IT HAD BEEN FILED AND RELEASED AND READY TO DEPART. UNTIL I PULLED THIS UP, NO DISPATCHER WAS MONITORING THIS FLT. I WAS NOT ABLE TO GET A TURNOVER FROM PREVIOUS DISPATCHER -- HE HAD GONE HOME. UNSAFE OP BY COMPANY. I DID ACCEPT THE FLT AND ADVISED CAPT I WAS NOW HANDLING HIS FLT. IF THIS FLT HAD BEEN ENRTE, THE CAPT WOULD NOT HAVE HAD A DISPATCHER TO CONTACT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.