A320
Dispatch Dispatcher
Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Procedure; Human Factors; Company Policy; Aircraft
The flight had pushed; taken off; and was en-route when another Dispatcher had noticed the aircraft was out of service in flight. They informed the Dispatcher of the current leg. Dispatcher checked to see when it had been removed from service. [Maintenance Control] had removed the aircraft from service 2 minutes after the aircraft had pushed. Dispatcher had not received a call from [Maintenance Control] stating the aircraft had been removed from service; and because of this; a message had not been sent from dispatch to the crew to inform them of such. Final numbers had already been received as the [Maintenance Control] out of service block was placed after push back. Dispatch coordinated and had out of service block removed.[Maintenance Control] needs to remove aircraft from service when call is received and anytime the plane is being worked on. If an aircraft is going out of service for a follow-up; or other scheduled maintenance; it should be removed from service at least 30 minutes prior to next leg; or ideally as soon as it blocks in; to prevent crews from getting preliminary or final numbers for their flight. [Maintenance Control] also needs to communicate that aircraft are removed and returned to service whenever they make these changes.
A Dispatcher reported a flight was released and pushed from gate before Maintenance marked it out of service.