FAA Investigating 4 Airlines for Safety Violations
Posted on: Wednesday, 2 April 2008, 21:00 CDT
WASHINGTON -- Federal regulators are investigating four U.S. airlines for violations of safety regulations and could take enforcement action against the carriers, officials said Wednesday.
The Federal Aviation Administration said those discoveries resulted from an intense, two-week-long audit that followed a disclosure of safety lapses at Southwest Airlines.
The FAA wouldn't name the carriers under investigation but said one regulation was a directive that prompted American Airlines to cancel more than 300 flights last week to conduct emergency checks.
Other airlines, including Delta and American Eagle, have recently cancelled flights to conduct inspections associated with the audit.
Otherwise, the FAA said its audit found almost systematic compliance with so-called airworthiness directives.
Acting Administrator Robert A. Sturgell said the rate of compliance was 99 percent for 2,392 checks.
"Much of the system we have in place is effective," Mr. Sturgell said during a news conference at Washington Reagan National Airport.
The FAA also announced changes to some of its oversight programs that have been criticized by lawmakers who are scheduled to hold a hearing on Thursday about the FAA's oversight of airlines.
Among those changes, the FAA said it would add a mechanism for inspectors to raise complaints with their managers about airline safety questions. The move responds to the concerns of inspectors in North Texas who sought whistleblower protection in order to publicize problems with the way their supervisors dealt with Southwest's failings.
The FAA announced a $10.2 million fine against Southwest Airlines last month. Mr. Sturgell declined Wednesday to say whether the penalty would be negotiated down.
The FAA has started a second audit that involves a broader check of airline compliance with federal regulations. The regulations are required by law, and airlines can be fined or sanctioned if they flout them.
"This chapter is by no means closed," Mr. Sturgell said. "We will take further actions as we learn more."
Source: The Dallas Morning News
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