Date: 201809
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Aircraft: Commercial Fixed Wing
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Flight phase: Descent
ATC / advisory: Tower ZZZ
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Dispatcher
Reporter qualification: Dispatch Dispatcher
Human factors: Communication Breakdown; Workload
Anomaly: Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Detector: Person Dispatch
When detected: In-flight
Contributing factors: Equipment / Tooling; Human Factors; Manuals; Procedure; Company Policy
Primary problem: Human Factors

Narrative: I got an ACARS from the crew requesting landing runway in use at ZZZ airport. ZZZ does not have digital ATIS; so after looking at current and forecast winds and weather; and looking at the arriving traffic to ZZZ airport; I determined which runway would probably be what the tower was using. Winds were close to 10 knots and the weather was clear. I had planned the runway in my pre-flight planning and also checked satellite coverage which was available at the arrival time for a GPS Approach. I also remarked the satellite coverage on the release. A few minutes after sending this information to the crew on ACARS; I get an ACARS back from the crew telling me to call the tower for landing runway information. At which point I wrote back to suggest that the crew monitor the airport ATIS frequency when in range to get the landing data. A few minutes later; I received an ACARS back from crew; that what I was providing was unsatisfactory. At which point I wrote back that I would not call the tower for the information because he had access to it via the radio; by monitoring ATIS frequency; since there is no digital ATIS. This is SOP. This is the last I heard from the flight until the Captain called later and asked to speak to my supervisor. At which point I transferred him to my Manager. If there were a good reason to call the tower for runway data; because of deteriorating weather conditions; aircraft mishaps; or ATC issues; I would have called the tower for the information; but since there were no circumstances out of the ordinary; I was not going to interrupt tower operations for a simple runway in use question; when this information was readily available via the ATIS frequency. At the same time this was happening; I was dealing with a diversion and 2 airborne reroutes for flights due to extremely bad weather in the area; along with trying to get my inbound flight plans completed; also dealing with the same weather. Flight crew over reliance on dispatchers; for information that is readily available to them. If there was a good reason to call the tower for landing runway information; such as weather conditions; or ATC issues; then calling the tower is not a problem. But to call the tower for landing runway information when there is no good reason to; puts pressure on tower controllers and takes time away from dispatchers who may be in a critical situation as I was on this date. The only reason the crew wanted landing runway information from the tower directly; is that there is no digital ATIS for view on ACARS; even though the crew can and will have to check ATIS on frequency to get landing data info. Put an alert out to crews and update the manual; that unless circumstances dictate a call to the tower for landing runway information crews should not request dispatchers to call the tower for landing information at airports where there is no digital ATIS.




Synopsis: Dispatcher reported refusing a Captain's request to call the Tower for landing information because the information was available via the ATIS.