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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2009
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Southwest Grounds 44 Planes

Missed inspections for cracks drew fine from FAA—which didn't take immediate action

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(Newser) – Southwest Airlines grounded 44 planes today after having admitted to flying aircraft that were past due for inspections for structural cracks, the AP reports. The FAA fined Southwest $10.2 million—the largest ever levied on an airline—but the agency itself is under fire for not grounding the jets last year after it learned of the missed inspections.

The planes grounded today—Boeing 737s—make up 8% of Southwest’s fleet. CEO Gary Kelly said the carrier had placed three employees on paid leave pending investigation into how the oversight occurred. FAA chief Robert Sturgell criticized his organization for failing to ground the affected planes when it learned of missed inspections last March. "At least one FAA inspector looked the other way," he said.

A Southwest Airlines jetliner lands on a runway at SeaTac International Airport in SeaTac, Wash., on Monday, Dec. 17, 2007. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
A Southwest Airlines jetliner lands on a runway at SeaTac International Airport in SeaTac, Wash., on Monday, Dec. 17, 2007. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)   (Associated Press)
A Southwest Airlines jet takes off Wednesday from Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix in this July 18, 2007 file photo. (AP Photo/Matt York, File)
A Southwest Airlines jet takes off Wednesday from Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix in this July 18, 2007 file photo. (AP Photo/Matt York, File)   (Associated Press)
A Southwest Airlines airplane flies towards Miami International Airport in Miami, Fla., in this Feb. 13, 2008 file photo. (AP Photo/David Duprey, file)
A Southwest Airlines airplane flies towards Miami International Airport in Miami, Fla., in this Feb. 13, 2008 file photo. (AP Photo/David Duprey, file)   (Associated Press)
Southwest airplanes are seen at Love Field in Dallas, Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2008. AP Photo/Donna McWilliam)
Southwest airplanes are seen at Love Field in Dallas, Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2008. AP Photo/Donna McWilliam)   (Associated Press)
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FAA • safety • airline • airline safety • inspection • Southwest Airlines • Gary Kelly • Boeing 737-300 • bureaucratic blunders • Robert Sturgell

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