Commercial Fixed Wing
Communication Breakdown; Workload; Troubleshooting
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Weight And Balance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors
Aircraft was out of balance at start of my shift. It required the last row to be blocked. I sent a message to ZZZZ to do so and they did. At about 10 minutes before departure aircraft went out of balance again and I determined that the last 3 rows now needed to be blocked. ZZZZ called to find out why weights weren't generating and I advised that last 3 rows now needed to be blocked. He advised that aircraft was already out so I said I would handle it with Captain. I sent Captain that info via ACARS to block last 3 rows; but when I went back to double check the Load Program (LP) to verify that in fact the additional 2 rows needed to be moved and blocked; this time LP indicated that no rows needed to be blocked. I checked it 1 or 2 more times because it didn't seem right to me. LP again indicated no rows now needed to be blocked. So now I quickly sent Captain an ACARS to disregard moving the additional 2 rows of people as that would now be an unnecessary waste of time since no longer needed. I sent the disregard message and then released weights. Departure [load] control now did not indicate to block any rows-although row XX had been blocked from the beginning. As I thought about why LP would show 3 rows needed to be blocked; and then it indicated that we now didn't need to LP any rows; I checked the seat map (aircraft was airborne by then) and sure enough; Operations had gone in and shown last 3 rows blocked but never spoke with the crew. They should not have touched the seat map since they did not physically move anyone. And since they are not supposed to do that; it didn't occur to me that they had. But that is why LP did not show I needed to block rows; it was reading that the rows were already empty. I called Dispatch and asked them to find out from crew exactly which rows were blocked on take-off. The answer was just row 34-the last row. I verified with ZZZ; and they advised that they had not told crew to move anyone; they just showed passengers moved out of last 3 rows. I advised ZZZ never to indicate passengers moved seats unless they have physically accomplished the move. They understand now.
Load Planner reported aircraft departed with blocked rows being occupied by passengers; contrary to the weight and balance report.