Commercial Fixed Wing
Dispatch Dispatcher
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Staffing
Sector was left uncovered for mid shift (2200-0600 local).  Flights that were originally released by this sector on the afternoon prior shift were apparently left on this sector with no dispatcher coverage.  Flights that were un-monitored that I am aware of were flights [listed].A SATCOM call was answered by Dispatch.  This call was from [flight number] airborne.  [Dispatcher] asked who was handling this flight; nobody had it on any of the staffed desks. Further investigation lead to discovery that the flight was still showing assigned to a sector which was unmanned for the graveyard shift due to staffing issues.   I took the call.....flight crew was concerned as they had been waiting for their redispatch message; and had sent datalink messages requesting the same; but with no replies from dispatch.  I explained to the crew that their flight had been assigned to a sector that was currently not manned and apologize for our not responding.  Asked them to give me a few minutes to review the flight and follow normal protocols in preparing the redispatch; and that I would have it up to them within the next few minutes.  Redispatch analysis was completed; everything looked good; sufficient fuel existed for redispatch; and datalink was sent.  RDA was received by dispatch a few minutes later from the flight crew.
Air carrier Dispatcher reports not all flights were properly covered because of staffing issues.