eatmywake - just to clear things up (I've seen it from both sides of the fence): in JAA-land, the dispatcher does
not have the authority to tell us where to go - even in a nice way. He/she provides the flight crew with the necessary information (i.e. weather, NOTAMs, PLOGs, load info etc.); the decision is still the crew's to make. In most outfits,
Flight Ops can decide whether to CANX or delay or re-route a flight.
Dispatch is now very often out-sourced, and therefore "only" concerned with ensuring a safe and expeditious turnaround. Been there, done that.
Cheers
