Commercial Fixed Wing
Dispatch Dispatcher
Communication Breakdown; Workload
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Equipment / Tooling; Human Factors; Manuals; Procedure; Company Policy
I got an ACARS from the crew requesting landing runway in use at ZZZ airport. ZZZ does not have digital ATIS; so after looking at current and forecast winds and weather; and looking at the arriving traffic to ZZZ airport; I determined which runway would probably be what the tower was using. Winds were close to 10 knots and the weather was clear. I had planned the runway in my pre-flight planning and also checked satellite coverage which was available at the arrival time for a GPS Approach. I also remarked the satellite coverage on the release. A few minutes after sending this information to the crew on ACARS; I get an ACARS back from the crew telling me to call the tower for landing runway information. At which point I wrote back to suggest that the crew monitor the airport ATIS frequency when in range to get the landing data. A few minutes later; I received an ACARS back from crew; that what I was providing was unsatisfactory. At which point I wrote back that I would not call the tower for the information because he had access to it via the radio; by monitoring ATIS frequency; since there is no digital ATIS. This is SOP. This is the last I heard from the flight until the Captain called later and asked to speak to my supervisor. At which point I transferred him to my Manager. If there were a good reason to call the tower for runway data; because of deteriorating weather conditions; aircraft mishaps; or ATC issues; I would have called the tower for the information; but since there were no circumstances out of the ordinary; I was not going to interrupt tower operations for a simple runway in use question; when this information was readily available via the ATIS frequency. At the same time this was happening; I was dealing with a diversion and 2 airborne reroutes for flights due to extremely bad weather in the area; along with trying to get my inbound flight plans completed; also dealing with the same weather. Flight crew over reliance on dispatchers; for information that is readily available to them. If there was a good reason to call the tower for landing runway information; such as weather conditions; or ATC issues; then calling the tower is not a problem. But to call the tower for landing runway information when there is no good reason to; puts pressure on tower controllers and takes time away from dispatchers who may be in a critical situation as I was on this date. The only reason the crew wanted landing runway information from the tower directly; is that there is no digital ATIS for view on ACARS; even though the crew can and will have to check ATIS on frequency to get landing data info. Put an alert out to crews and update the manual; that unless circumstances dictate a call to the tower for landing runway information crews should not request dispatchers to call the tower for landing information at airports where there is no digital ATIS.
Dispatcher reported refusing a Captain's request to call the Tower for landing information because the information was available via the ATIS.