Date: 201407
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: ZJX.ARTCC, FL
Light: Daylight
Reporter organization: Government
Reporter function: Traffic Management
Reporter qualification: Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Human factors: Workload; Troubleshooting; Situational Awareness; Confusion; Communication Breakdown
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Detector: Person Air Traffic Control
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Separated Traffic
Contributing factors: Weather; Staffing
Primary problem: Weather

Narrative: Staffing- 1 STMC; 1 TMCIT with OJTI; 1TMCIT with OJTI on break. Weather- was impacting ZJX north of SAV; affecting the east and south operational areas. The weather was moving west and northwest; into ZTL and out of ZJX. The OS advised the STMC aircraft were deviating for weather and requested release areas from the military. The STMC told us to look at the volume in those sectors affected. Reviewed internal departure volume and routes; TSD/Monitor Alert during increased volume to analyze traffic; analyzed CLT departure volume. Action taken to cap some ATL departures entering ZJX that would be descending soon for close in airports and a MYR departure landing ATL. These options were viable because of the location of the weather and its movement. Aircraft were able to pick their way through but we needed to reduce volume to help with complexity. This was a tactical situation. Wholesale reroutes weren't necessary. While all the above was 'working'; the STMC took a break. The incoming STMC put out 3 play books: FLA to Northeast 3; Ohio Valley to FL; and Midwest to FL. Re-routes are being sent to close to departure times requiring a call the Towers to advise we are sending new routes. Subsequently; the military called to request FLA 'A'; there was no one available to answer the mission's coordinator position because of the efforts to get the reroutes to the Towers. The west operational area OS called to say; the military was calling for airspace release. Another TMC called and was able to find out what the request was. The military had called the sector to make the request; the Controller called all the concerned parties and released the airspace. TMU Mission's Desk was not aware of this because we weren't available to take the call. TMU did not show the airspace active. If another agency called for airspace release or status; TMU's answer would be that the airspace is cold. Monitor Alert is not being watched for areas that have volume issues. Towers are calling to cancel release times because aircraft need more fuel to fly the new routes. The play book's occurred so close to departure time that the pilots weren't given a chance to plan accordingly. New restrictions from ZDC are coming in; the requests are accepted and disseminated to the floor; sent out pass-backs to ZMA. The research was not done to support this because of the efforts to get new routes to the Towers. ZTL requested MIT for the increased volume from the play book's. MIT was sent to floor; no research done for pass-backs. MIT was not monitored to assist with compliance. Once up on the air; the pilots are requesting their previous routes; the controllers obliged because the pilots can get through and it is much shorter. Now the towers are calling and asking if the pilots can go on their previous route because of the longer route and fuel concerns. The STMC agrees. A situation that should have been tactical was now being managed regionally. The controlling agency for the military was never called for release of warning areas. Air Traffic Controller workload was unnecessarily increased.ZJX TMU needs additional staffing to adequately manage all the functions of TMU. Requests for/from missions coordinator; monitor compliance with restrictions and send out pass-backs when necessary. Clear guidance on position responsibilities; TMC and STMC.




Synopsis: TMC reports of an incident where the facility was busy with weather and re-routes.  A Controller in an other area released airspace to the military causing an unsafe situation.