FAA Safety Audit Triggers Investigations of Four Airlines
Travel Blog • Michael Yessis • 04.03.08 | 9:38 AM ET
Ever since Southwest grounded more than 40 planes last month, the safety practices of the entire U.S. airline industry have come under scrutiny. Flights have been delayed and canceled, as planes across the country have been pulled in for inspection. Yesterday, a federal audit revealed that four unnamed major U.S. airlines are under investigation for not complying with federal safety directives.
The news comes in advance of a Congressional hearing today, which House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee chairman James L. Oberstar (D-Minn.) promises will focus on the issues with Southwest’s fleet and those of other airlines, as well as the FAA, which has been accused of being “too cozy with the airlines.”
Robert A. Sturgell, the acting head of the FAA, tried to reassure understandably jittery travelers. According to the Washington Post, he said federal inspectors “found that airlines were complying with 99 percent of the directives.”
Of course, it’s that 1 percent that’s worrisome.
Related on World Hum:
* About Those Southwest Planes: ‘Is it Really as Bad as it Sounds?’
Photo by dmealiffe via Flickr, (Creative Commons).