Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Communication Breakdown
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Human Factors; Weather
It all started at XA:00 when I woke up and the first thing I do is looked at the weather and aircraft MELs for [our] flight. The weather in ZZZ1 was less then a mile and 001 overcast until XE:30 local. Not improving until XF:30. The aircraft MEL most concerning was both localizers inoperative. The lowest minimums were for the LNAV XXR which took us down to 1000MSA and 440HAT. I called Dispatch around XA:15am and told him that it's unlikely that we'll be able to get into ZZZ1 until XE:30-XF:30 due to the ceilings at ZZZ1. At first Dispatch told me that they would delay the flight for 30 min and I was okay with that. I then received a call from Dispatch around XA:20 which I was told the RVR was rising and they were not going to delay the flight. I told him okay and that we would get to the airport on time and that I'm not departing until I know the weather would be good enough for us to land in ZZZ1. When I got to the airport I called Dispatch to come up with a plan. At this time visibility and the ceilings were too low for us to depart. Dispatch then put me on a group call with the new pilot help desk in which we agreed that the visibility was too low for us to depart and that the visibility was too low at ZZZ for us to return so I requested a takeoff alternative. The takeoff alternative that was given to us was ZZZ2. After a little research the visibility was fine at ZZZ2 but the ceilings were lower than we were able to use given our MEL and that was in my mind a bad takeoff alternative. I then called Dispatch to get a new takeoff alternative and mid discussion the phone was disconnected. I tried calling back and I was directed to a message telling me to check the number I called because it's been disconnected. Being concerned that my [cellphone] plan somehow had an issue I tried from the FOs (First Officers) phone but the same thing happened. I'm truly hoping this was not malicious on the Dispatchers part and that we were having actual phone problems.I then received an ACARS message with a new takeoff [alternate] of ZZZ3 which was better. Around XC:45 the forecast improved at ZZZ1 saying that at XD:00am the weather would improve to 2SM and 600 overcast. Great! We can do that. We boarded up and started getting ready to go. The problem is that while the visibility improved the ceilings dropped. I called Dispatch again and this time the phone rang but no answer. I then called a different desk and it was answered by Dispatch but I was immediately transferred back to my original Dispatcher. When he answered I tried my best to tell him that I know the visibility was good to depart but all I wanted was a PIREP from one of our crews that had just landed to tell me when they saw the runway. It was obvious that he didn't want to hear my concerns because he didn't allow me to talk and he once again sent me to the pilot help desk and then left the conversation. I then asked the same question via ACARS in which he did respond saying that people were seeing the runway at 300 agl. That's too low for us because of our MEL. The only message I received after that was from a supervisor saying that RVR holding at 6000 and you're good to launch. No kidding!  They didn't care at all about my concerns. I ended up calling ZZZ1 Tower myself and they confirmed 300agl is the breakout point. I also planned with ZZZ1 Tower to give them a call before we depart so that they could plan on us needing to land XXR which I did. When the ceilings lifted to 005 broken I called the Tower to let them know. Dispatch was no help. When we got to ZZZ1 we saw the approach lights at the last second to legally land.  I found myself overwhelmingly doing things that the Dispatcher and I should do together. I've never had a problem with dispatch until today. I hope it was just a bad day and not a new pattern. I rely on Dispatch for help and today was not okay. We found it very difficult to communicate with Dispatch. At one point all I wanted from Dispatch was a PIREPfrom our crews that were landing in ZZZ1 to find out what altitude they were breaking out at ZZZ1. The Dispatcher obviously didn't want to work with me so he passed me off to a pilot help line and left the conversation. That was absolutely no help. Everything that happened we did correct and by the book. Dispatch and the pilots should work together for the safety of the flight. This was the first time that I've felt that Dispatch was not wanting to work with me.
EMB140 Captain reported Dispatch failed to provide assistance with weather and flight support requests.