Dispatch Dispatcher
Time Pressure; Troubleshooting; Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown; Workload
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Returned To Gate
Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors; Procedure
I had been concerned with the aircraft even making it into ZZZ due to runway conditions and crosswinds at the time of landing. My focus then turned to being able to depart from ZZZ and making sure we had the fuel necessary for deice; and that braking conditions did not continue to deteriorate; as there were some reports of braking action being poor.The first alert I can find referencing a ZZZ Center closure was at XA:20L. There were several emails that followed; however due to the weather and runway conditions I was dealing with in ZZZ; and the multitude of messages coming through; it did not register that my flight would be affected by the ZZZ [Center] closure.Had we departed on time; and not been delayed for deicing; we would have entered the airspace in time to continue as normally scheduled. Our departure time was XA:50Z. The first fix into ZZZ [Center] airspace was ZZZZZ [Intersection]; which is roughly 5 NM from the airspace border. To reach ZZZZZ [Intersection] based on my filed flight time took 1hr and 25 minutes; which would have put us into ZZZ [Center] at XC:15Z; with a 1 hour and 15 minutes buffer.  At XB:54Z; I ACARSed the flight as they were close to their 1 hour Top of Descent Point; and I wanted to check in. At this time I was going through my email inbox; and we were receiving a lot; when I realized my flight would be affected by the closure. Once I realized this; I immediately called my coordinator; who verified that the NOTAM for the airspace closure did not allow us to even drop down once entering the airspace; and was only published for overflights; and at XC:00Z I ACARSed to return to gate; since even if they departed immediately; which they had just started the deice process; they would be pushing it to make it into the airspace in time (they were already filed fast). The flight returned to gate and was delayed several hours in order to allow for arrival to ZZZ [Center] after it opened at XF:30Z.I missed the original emails stating the closure which would have given myself; the crew; and the coordinator a heads up to be careful of our times deicing. It is hard to check every email. For ATC-0 events; I believe there should be other forms of notification to dispatchers to prevent this from happening. I do not believe ATC-0 NOTAMs attached for pilot paperwork; as the Captain said he did not see it; and reviewing the paperwork; I did not either.
Dispatcher reported receiving an ATC Zero event notice too late; the flight was already taxiing for takeoff; and then having to notify the crew to return to the gate for a several hour ATC delay.