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Southwest Grounds 44 Planes

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

By Nick McMaster, Newser Staff

Posted Mar 12, 2008 2:15 PM CDT

(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... Read full story »

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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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Southwest Faces Record Fines

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(NEWSER) - Southwest Airlines faces at least $3 million in fines sought by the FAA for failing to inspect 46 older Boeing 737-300 jets for structural flaws identified in a 2004 safety directive, reports the Wall Street Journal. The expected penalty would be the largest imposed on an airline in 20 years. When the planes were finally inspected last spring, six had cracks up to 4 inches long in the fuselage. More»

Southwest Tried to Cover Up Safety Issues: Inspectors

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(NEWSER) - Southwest Airlines tried to cover up maintenance problems, and the FAA almost let them, according to two inspectors who will testify before Congress today that the agency is too cozy with airlines. When the inspectors realized Southwest was flying dozens of jets without required inspections, their superiors did nothing, they say. And Southwest was asking those superiors to remove one troublesome inspector from the case, CNN reports. More»

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Southwest's Problem: Its Planes Fly Too Much

Efficient short-haul operations may have contributed to rupture

(NEWSER) - Southwest Airlines may be a victim of its own efficiency. The airline's much-touted short-haul operations require each plane to fly an average of six times a day, and the stress of all those landings and take-offs may be partially to blame for the cracks found in some of their older 737s, the LA Times reports. The plane forced to make an emergency landing in Arizona, for example, is 15 years old. More»

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(NEWSER) - The FAA is questioning American Airlines' new policy on lightning inspections, and its opener is: Why doesn’t American do them anymore? American recently forbade its mechanics from doing extensive lightning damage checks unless pilots suspected a strike, a move designed to reduce delays and cancellations. Big airlines are typically allowed to tweak safety standards, reports the Wall Street Journal. More»

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Southwest Grounds 44 Planes

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

FAA • safety • airline • airline safety • inspection • Southwest Airlines • Gary Kelly • Boeing 737-300 • bureaucratic blunders • Robert Sturgell

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More Newser Stories

Southwest Faces Record Fines

Airline found several cracks after skipping required safety checks

Southwest Tried to Cover Up Safety Issues: Inspectors

FAA too cozy with airlines, they say

Airline Sleuths Dig Up Data to Save Lives

Flight record scans reveal hidden risks, prevent crashes

Southwest's Problem: Its Planes Fly Too Much

Efficient short-haul operations may have contributed to rupture

FAA Questions American's Lightning Safety

Mechanics grumble after airline stops inspections

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