Narrative:

My dispatcher told me that I did not need an alternate because I was off the gate; I was airborne. The WX was 300 and 1 1/2 at my destination forecast was update to 300 and 1 for my arrival. I ask for an alternate; that is when I was told I did not need one. This statement had lots of attitude. I hung up the phone and called and asked for a supervisor; and told him the same thing; WX; I was then issued an alternate this required a gate return for additional fuel. Why was my dispatcher willing to send the passenger out without the required alternate; into bad WX without the necessary fuel? What pressures are they under?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A319 CAPT DISCOVERS AFTER PUSH BACK THAT WX AT DESTINATION NOW REQUIRES AN ALTERNATE. DISPATCHER DISAGREES; CAPT PREVAILS.

Narrative: MY DISPATCHER TOLD ME THAT I DID NOT NEED AN ALTERNATE BECAUSE I WAS OFF THE GATE; I WAS AIRBORNE. THE WX WAS 300 AND 1 1/2 AT MY DEST FORECAST WAS UPDATE TO 300 AND 1 FOR MY ARR. I ASK FOR AN ALTERNATE; THAT IS WHEN I WAS TOLD I DID NOT NEED ONE. THIS STATEMENT HAD LOTS OF ATTITUDE. I HUNG UP THE PHONE AND CALLED AND ASKED FOR A SUPVR; AND TOLD HIM THE SAME THING; WX; I WAS THEN ISSUED AN ALTERNATE THIS REQUIRED A GATE RETURN FOR ADDITIONAL FUEL. WHY WAS MY DISPATCHER WILLING TO SEND THE PAX OUT WITHOUT THE REQUIRED ALTERNATE; INTO BAD WX WITHOUT THE NECESSARY FUEL? WHAT PRESSURES ARE THEY UNDER?

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.