Qtec
04-10-2008, 03:38 AM
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">New Delays Loom as F.A.A. Expands Airliner Review
By MICHELINE MAYNARD and MATTHEW L. WALD
Air travelers, whose plans have already been disrupted by thousands of canceled flights recently, may face continued chaos in coming weeks as the Federal Aviation Administration and the airlines expand their scrutiny of passenger planes.
The groundings at airlines like American, Alaska, Delta and Southwest resulted from a broader round of inspections, ordered by the F.A.A., to determine whether the airlines have complied with past directives to check airplane structures, wires, electronics and other components.
A second wave of audits began on March 30 and will continue through June 30. Laura J. Brown, a spokeswoman for the F.A.A., said it could not rule out further groundings. “We don’t know,” she said. “We find what we find.”
That will do little to reassure travelers, who face difficulties switching to other flights because planes are generally flying full on popular routes.
The agency turned up new problems Monday, when nine MD-80 jets operated by American failed an F.A.A. check, prompting American to ground 300 planes. American canceled more than 1,000 flights on Wednesday, on top of 430 cancellations on Tuesday, while its fleet of MD-80s was inspected. American expects 900 cancellations Thursday, and the problem could spill over to Friday.
Airports hit hardest by the canceled flights were Dallas-Fort Worth International, O’Hare in Chicago and La Guardia.
Yoree Koh, 25, arrived at La Guardia on Wednesday to find her American flight to Chicago had been canceled, meaning she will miss an orientation at Northwestern University. “It basically ruined my week,” she said.
Ms. Koh said she was advised by an American employee to return at 6 a.m. Thursday to join the standby list for a 12:40 p.m. flight. “I’m not holding my breath,” Ms. Koh said.
The F.A.A. and airlines are responding, in part, to heightened scrutiny by Congress, led by Representative James L. Oberstar, Democrat of Minnesota and chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, who is a longtime activist on aviation safety.
Congress’s stance toward the industry has shifted from benevolence after the terrorist attacks in 2001 to a more combative approach after a string of passenger disruptions and recent revelations about lax oversight. </div></div>
Last week this story broke.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">FAA inspectors: Southwest tried to hide safety problems
* Story Highlights
* Inspectors: Southwest Airlines tried to hide maintenance program problems
* They say Southwest tried to keep out an inspector who noticed the problem
* Inspectors went to FAA, but agency did nothing about the issues, they tell CNN
* CNN report: Southwest allegedly kept planes in air without proper safety checks
From Drew Griffin and Scott Bronstein
CNN Special Investigations Unit
(CNN) -- Southwest Airlines tried to keep serious problems with its maintenance program hidden and pressured the Federal Aviation Administration to keep out an inspector who noticed the problems, according to two FAA inspectors who blew the whistle on the airline.
Bobby Boutris and Douglas Peters told CNN Wednesday they brought information about Southwest's lack of compliance with mandatory inspection protocols to their supervisors, but the FAA did nothing.
Boutris said the airline tried to have him removed from the inspections.
"My supervisor called me into his office ... and told me he had had a meeting with the director of quality assurance and the AD [airworthiness directive] compliance leader from Southwest Airlines, and he had requested my removal from the inspection," Boutris said.
Linda Rutherford, Southwest's public relations vice president, wouldn't comment on the inspectors' allegations, noting that company Chairman Herb Kelleher and CEO Gary Kelly would be testifying Thursday before a House panel convened to look into the issue.
"Out of respect for the congressional hearing process, we will present testimony there, both oral and in writing, that addresses many of the questions being asked," she said. "Out of respect for the committee hearing process, we need to let those questions wait for the committee."
CNN was unable to reach the FAA for a comment Wednesday night, but earlier in the day, acting administrator Robert Sturgell would not discuss specifics of the Southwest matter. </div></div>
link (http://edition.cnn.com/2008/US/04/02/southwest.faa.inspection/index.html)
Southwest allegedly kept planes in air without proper safety checks
This is crazy. Somebody should go to jail for this.
I mean, when you buy your ticket, I think the least you can expect is that the plane is as safe as it can be.
Q
WOW! Just in.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> CNN has learned that American's fleet of MD-80 planes has recorded 23 landing gear problems in the last few months; several have resulted in emergency landings. Pilots say the Fort Worth-based airline and the Federal Aviation Administration are not doing enough to find a solution. </div></div>
link (http://edition.cnn.com/2008/US/04/08/griffin.landing.gear/index.html)
By MICHELINE MAYNARD and MATTHEW L. WALD
Air travelers, whose plans have already been disrupted by thousands of canceled flights recently, may face continued chaos in coming weeks as the Federal Aviation Administration and the airlines expand their scrutiny of passenger planes.
The groundings at airlines like American, Alaska, Delta and Southwest resulted from a broader round of inspections, ordered by the F.A.A., to determine whether the airlines have complied with past directives to check airplane structures, wires, electronics and other components.
A second wave of audits began on March 30 and will continue through June 30. Laura J. Brown, a spokeswoman for the F.A.A., said it could not rule out further groundings. “We don’t know,” she said. “We find what we find.”
That will do little to reassure travelers, who face difficulties switching to other flights because planes are generally flying full on popular routes.
The agency turned up new problems Monday, when nine MD-80 jets operated by American failed an F.A.A. check, prompting American to ground 300 planes. American canceled more than 1,000 flights on Wednesday, on top of 430 cancellations on Tuesday, while its fleet of MD-80s was inspected. American expects 900 cancellations Thursday, and the problem could spill over to Friday.
Airports hit hardest by the canceled flights were Dallas-Fort Worth International, O’Hare in Chicago and La Guardia.
Yoree Koh, 25, arrived at La Guardia on Wednesday to find her American flight to Chicago had been canceled, meaning she will miss an orientation at Northwestern University. “It basically ruined my week,” she said.
Ms. Koh said she was advised by an American employee to return at 6 a.m. Thursday to join the standby list for a 12:40 p.m. flight. “I’m not holding my breath,” Ms. Koh said.
The F.A.A. and airlines are responding, in part, to heightened scrutiny by Congress, led by Representative James L. Oberstar, Democrat of Minnesota and chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, who is a longtime activist on aviation safety.
Congress’s stance toward the industry has shifted from benevolence after the terrorist attacks in 2001 to a more combative approach after a string of passenger disruptions and recent revelations about lax oversight. </div></div>
Last week this story broke.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">FAA inspectors: Southwest tried to hide safety problems
* Story Highlights
* Inspectors: Southwest Airlines tried to hide maintenance program problems
* They say Southwest tried to keep out an inspector who noticed the problem
* Inspectors went to FAA, but agency did nothing about the issues, they tell CNN
* CNN report: Southwest allegedly kept planes in air without proper safety checks
From Drew Griffin and Scott Bronstein
CNN Special Investigations Unit
(CNN) -- Southwest Airlines tried to keep serious problems with its maintenance program hidden and pressured the Federal Aviation Administration to keep out an inspector who noticed the problems, according to two FAA inspectors who blew the whistle on the airline.
Bobby Boutris and Douglas Peters told CNN Wednesday they brought information about Southwest's lack of compliance with mandatory inspection protocols to their supervisors, but the FAA did nothing.
Boutris said the airline tried to have him removed from the inspections.
"My supervisor called me into his office ... and told me he had had a meeting with the director of quality assurance and the AD [airworthiness directive] compliance leader from Southwest Airlines, and he had requested my removal from the inspection," Boutris said.
Linda Rutherford, Southwest's public relations vice president, wouldn't comment on the inspectors' allegations, noting that company Chairman Herb Kelleher and CEO Gary Kelly would be testifying Thursday before a House panel convened to look into the issue.
"Out of respect for the congressional hearing process, we will present testimony there, both oral and in writing, that addresses many of the questions being asked," she said. "Out of respect for the committee hearing process, we need to let those questions wait for the committee."
CNN was unable to reach the FAA for a comment Wednesday night, but earlier in the day, acting administrator Robert Sturgell would not discuss specifics of the Southwest matter. </div></div>
link (http://edition.cnn.com/2008/US/04/02/southwest.faa.inspection/index.html)
Southwest allegedly kept planes in air without proper safety checks
This is crazy. Somebody should go to jail for this.
I mean, when you buy your ticket, I think the least you can expect is that the plane is as safe as it can be.
Q
WOW! Just in.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> CNN has learned that American's fleet of MD-80 planes has recorded 23 landing gear problems in the last few months; several have resulted in emergency landings. Pilots say the Fort Worth-based airline and the Federal Aviation Administration are not doing enough to find a solution. </div></div>
link (http://edition.cnn.com/2008/US/04/08/griffin.landing.gear/index.html)