Narrative:

The flight experienced severe turbulence at 3000 ft on the approach for a duration of 5 mins per the captain. They reported that there were several ill passenger onboard due to the turbulence and 1 passenger was experiencing a possible heart attack. The flight declared an emergency with ATC and asked me what station could he land at that had no turbulence. The captain wanted to divert to ZZZ1; so I called the tower to check on any reports of turbulence. ATC tower reported turbulence all altitudes all around the station. I then called ZZZ2 ATC tower and they reported no turbulence. I told the captain to divert to his planned alternate of ZZZ2. I then tried to call the station and there was no answer at the operations number (typical); and tried 2 more gates until I finally reached an agent. I told the agent that flight X was diverting to their station and that paramedics and maintenance were required to meet the aircraft upon arrival. The agent said they were unable to handle an MD80. The agent asked if I wanted to talk to the operations manager of ZZZ2; I said have her call me. I contacted center looking for my flight to have him contact dispatch immediately so he wouldn't divert to a station that couldn't handle his aircraft. In the meantime; the operations manager at ZZZ2 confirmed that they could not handle an MD80. I hung up and tried to contact my flight when a manager told me that ZZZ2 now could handle an MD80 in an emergency 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 aircraft. 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 operation specifications no station should be telling us they are not qualified.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 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.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.