An air carrier dispatcher reported that his company called him in to work, which he agreed to do. Du...

Attributes
ACN	599941
Time
Date	200311
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
ASRS Report	599941
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	other personnel
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : 1
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company
Primary Problem	Company

Narrative:

At XA35, I was called for shift coverage for that afternoon. At XA45-XA50 I returned the call and said I would take the overtime, but was advised it had already been proffered to a dispatcher who was willing to stay an extra 8 hours. This would make his shift 16 hours. Far 121.465 states, 'except in cases where circumstances or emergency conditions beyond the control of the air carrier require otherwise, no domestic or flag air carrier may schedule a dispatcher for more than 10 consecutive hours of duty.' based on the FARS, how can the FAA allow the company to schedule a dispatcher 16 hours of work, when I was willing to work that afternoon to cover the shift? I returned the phone call prior to shift starting time. It seems to me there were no 'circumstances or emergency conditions' that were beyond the control of the air carrier, when I was on the phone 30 mins prior to shift starting time and willing to work the shift.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR DISPATCHER RPTED THAT HIS COMPANY CALLED HIM IN TO WORK, WHICH HE AGREED TO DO. DURING A SUBSEQUENT CALL, HE WAS TOLD THAT THE CURRENT ON DUTY DISPATCHER WOULD REMAIN FOR ANOTHER SHIFT, WHICH EXCEEDED DUTY TIME LIMITS.

Narrative: AT XA35, I WAS CALLED FOR SHIFT COVERAGE FOR THAT AFTERNOON. AT XA45-XA50 I RETURNED THE CALL AND SAID I WOULD TAKE THE OVERTIME, BUT WAS ADVISED IT HAD ALREADY BEEN PROFFERED TO A DISPATCHER WHO WAS WILLING TO STAY AN EXTRA 8 HRS. THIS WOULD MAKE HIS SHIFT 16 HRS. FAR 121.465 STATES, 'EXCEPT IN CASES WHERE CIRCUMSTANCES OR EMER CONDITIONS BEYOND THE CTL OF THE ACR REQUIRE OTHERWISE, NO DOMESTIC OR FLAG ACR MAY SCHEDULE A DISPATCHER FOR MORE THAN 10 CONSECUTIVE HRS OF DUTY.' BASED ON THE FARS, HOW CAN THE FAA ALLOW THE COMPANY TO SCHEDULE A DISPATCHER 16 HRS OF WORK, WHEN I WAS WILLING TO WORK THAT AFTERNOON TO COVER THE SHIFT? I RETURNED THE PHONE CALL PRIOR TO SHIFT STARTING TIME. IT SEEMS TO ME THERE WERE NO 'CIRCUMSTANCES OR EMER CONDITIONS' THAT WERE BEYOND THE CTL OF THE ACR, WHEN I WAS ON THE PHONE 30 MINS PRIOR TO SHIFT STARTING TIME AND WILLING TO WORK THE SHIFT.

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.

An air carrier dispatcher reported that his company called him in to work, which he agreed to do. During a subsequent call, he was told that the current on duty dispatcher would remain for another shift, which exceeded duty time limits.