Narrative:

Desk X was to be closed for the morning shift. After the late night dispatcher left and I received the message that all the flts had been moved over to desk Y or Z, I noticed several messages on desk X. When I went to clear the messages I also cleared a few u-messages off the screen. That is when I realized that there were still active flts on this desk. These flts were in the air and not being flight followed. I advised management and was told that they would xfer the flts to an active desk. I checked on them and noticed that only 1 had been xferred but flight XXX was still active on desk X. I waited approximately 20 mins and then xferred the flight to my own desk. This flight was in the air for approximately 1 hour 15 mins without any flight following.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DISPATCHER'S RPT ON A COMPANY SIT THAT ALLOWED AIRBORNE FLTS TO REMAIN ON AN INACTIVE DISPATCH 'DESK' AT COMPANY DISPATCH CTR.

Narrative: DESK X WAS TO BE CLOSED FOR THE MORNING SHIFT. AFTER THE LATE NIGHT DISPATCHER LEFT AND I RECEIVED THE MESSAGE THAT ALL THE FLTS HAD BEEN MOVED OVER TO DESK Y OR Z, I NOTICED SEVERAL MESSAGES ON DESK X. WHEN I WENT TO CLR THE MESSAGES I ALSO CLRED A FEW U-MESSAGES OFF THE SCREEN. THAT IS WHEN I REALIZED THAT THERE WERE STILL ACTIVE FLTS ON THIS DESK. THESE FLTS WERE IN THE AIR AND NOT BEING FLT FOLLOWED. I ADVISED MGMNT AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY WOULD XFER THE FLTS TO AN ACTIVE DESK. I CHKED ON THEM AND NOTICED THAT ONLY 1 HAD BEEN XFERRED BUT FLT XXX WAS STILL ACTIVE ON DESK X. I WAITED APPROX 20 MINS AND THEN XFERRED THE FLT TO MY OWN DESK. THIS FLT WAS IN THE AIR FOR APPROX 1 HR 15 MINS WITHOUT ANY FLT FOLLOWING.

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.