B737-800
Dispatch Dispatcher
Workload; Communication Breakdown; Time Pressure
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural MEL / CDL; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
General Flight Cancelled / Delayed
Company Policy; Aircraft; MEL; Staffing; Software and Automation; Procedure
Flight was signed and released by morning shift without applying the MEL fuel penalty of MEL 28-XXA. After flight release and review; the afternoon shift noticed the error; corrected it; and re-released the flight with MEL 28-XXA applied correctly.This MEL was missed due to incredibly high dispatch desk workload; and un-forecast hazardous weather in every part of the country. These factors and the resulting task saturation lead to an incredible amount of additional flight planning time that was rushed due to the demand that flights which do not actually calculate for up to an hour past morning shift end time are signed with that dispatchers name.Workload is excessive and borderline disorienting leading up to and through shift turnover. At no point should there be any more 15 flights airborne per desk at one time; and yet 16-25 flights airborne at once has become the norm in the past few months. Perhaps the threshold for signing un-calculated flight plans should be 15 minutes past end of shift. This should allocate plenty of time for the oncoming dispatcher to review the work of the A.M. shift and sign the plan with their name. This alleviates the turnover workload; and provides the A.M. shift time to review their work and flight follow.
I reported for duty; 15 minutes in; I noticed that flight had a wing tank aft fuel MEL (28-XXA).  This MEL calls for 5;000 lbs of MEL fuel.  In error the previous dispatcher failed to allocate that fuel as MEL fuel.  I sent a revised release and the flight departed without incident.  I have advised the dispatcher to file a report as well.
Dispatchers reported a flight was signed and released without the application of an MEL.