Regional Jet 200 ER/LR (CRJ200)
Dispatch Dispatcher
Communication Breakdown; Time Pressure
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Human Factors; Procedure
About 30 minutes prior to departure I received a call from Station Operations saying that the crew had requested fuel greater than that planned on the Dispatch Release. I responded that the crew needed to talk to me as the Dispatcher before the fuel should be added. He responded that the crew had already had the extra fuel put on board. At this point the crew had not contacted me at all. About 10 minutes prior to scheduled departure; I asked the crew via ACARS if they had taken more fuel. They responded that they had asked for 6;400 LBS. The flight was released by another Dispatcher who had planned for 5;600 LBS. I amended the release and sent the amendment via ACARS along with a reminder that this is supposed to be a joint operational decision and that the Dispatcher is to be involved. I did not hear anything more from the crew until about 30 minutes later when the Captain called me on the phone. He apologized for not contacting me prior and said he was trying to keep things running on time and that he didn't have time to call. He expressed his concern over the fact that release had zero hold fuel (there was about 1;000 LBS of extra fuel specified) and there were ATC delays at the destination. We also had a brief discussion about the company fuel policy. I expressed my concern that the release needs to be properly amended reflecting the new fuel load. The flight operated without incident. I cannot think of a valid reason why the Dispatcher should be left out an operational decision. For one; the FARs mandates that we be involved. Being in a hurry is also not a valid reason. FARs and company procedures should never be disregarded or rushed to keep a flight on time. I am not sure the release would have been properly amended had Operations not called me and had I not queried the crew about the addition of fuel.My second concern is with the fuel policy itself. The fuel policy allows the sum of hold and extra to be a maximum of 1;000 LBS for 'no-tanker; no-alternate' flights (as was this flight). I regularly see flights released with zero hold fuel and about 1;000 LBS extra fuel.
Dispatcher reported that a flight crew took on extra fuel without coordinating with the Dispatcher; but contact was made with the crew prior to departure and an amended Flight Release was completed. Dispatcher also questioned company policy that does not allow for additional holding fuel over the 1;000 LBS maximum.