Dispatch Dispatcher
Time Pressure; Confusion; Workload
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Other / Unknown
General None Reported / Taken
Company Policy; Equipment / Tooling; Human Factors; Staffing
The flight planning system is 'UNSAFE'! It is TOO SLOW to safely and effectively perform the necessary functions for the Aircraft Dispatcher. Today I had to change alternates due to an inaccurate forecast. Some flights were airborne and some were still on the ground. Crews received the changes in an untimely manner because the computer could not calculate the changes fast enough for the crews to get the information. This slowness has gotten slower as we get busier. The ACARS portion of the system was sending 'MAS FAIL' alerts after the information was sent to the aircraft. The message was in error as the crews were receiving the information and acknowledging the messages. Because of the error the Dispatcher now has to go back and verify whether or not the crews received the information thus slowing down the amendment process for other crews. As has been previously reported; the computer is slow to change between tabs and you can easily send ACARS messages to the wrong tail. MEL retrieval has gotten even slower than previously reported. With these problems it is very difficult for the Aircraft Dispatcher to keep up with the workload and still maintain a safe; legal; effective; efficient and timely operation.
Dispatcher reported the problems with their computerized flight planning system.