SWA grounding 41 aircraft

[Flopgut]

SWA has NOT always operated under FAR 121. More importantly, SWA never operated under "regulation" where regulatory discipline was of paramount importance. (In fact, being unburdened with very expensive regualtory discipline is what the "SWA spirit" crap is all about IMHO)--->SWA has been a part 121 carrier form the begining. What they were not was regulated by the CAB...i.e., they didn't have some career office guy set their fares...or tell them where they could fly. Remember SWA started in 1971...and were regulated by the Texas Aeronautics Board, not the CAB. When the sun set on the CAB in 1978...SWA suddenly found that they could do with fares and schedules, all over the country, what they had been doing in Texas.

That is also what gave birth to the now defunct WRight ( Wrong ) Amendment.

SWA will pay the fine and quietly appeal.--->You've got it backwards....SWA will appeal first..and will not pay 10.2 mil.

You ducked the CAB to AVOID the full regulatory hardship of FAR 121. The CAB probably wouldn't have ever let you take off. You weren't going to meet the standards in place at that time (of course that's pretty much the whole SWA battlecry) and if regulation stayed in place there would be no SWA. Fact is, SWA the "start up" wasn't allowed to leave Texas for a reason.

BTW, the WA got handled just fine. That was no "win" buddy! SWA is accustom to a blank check, and that AIN'T what you got.

You guys need to pay the fine and put this to bed. Appeal later. (Hopefully, someone smarter than you is making this decision) Here's where you guys are f-ing up: SWA has always said that they hire "personalities", not abilities. They'd rather train a certain type person for a job than get someone they KNOW can do it. (EX: pilot candidates don't get a sim check, they don't really care) You're too big for that crap now. You need some real knowledge and industry experience in your tech ops dept. You need some old school "wrenches" looking this stuff over. Not the Disney-characteresque-Southwestie that is probably found their way into it. You'd better get some people from outside SWA to get this straighten this out and avoid future problems.

 

[MALSR]

SWA has been playing by the same rules...they are a Part 121 carrier.

And-d-d-d...if there was someone "paid off"...then how much was it...and to whom?

"Paid off" is a bit of a stretch....

If he wasn't paid off then in what way would it be to the benefit of the federal inspector who quote unquote "looked the other way" while these inspections were intentionally not complied with? Please tell me what he had to gain by not blowing the whistle.

 

[MALSR]

I am impressed you know so much about the way our company is run. I think you need to take your own advice.

I didn't give any advice; what are you talking about?

 

[pipe]

The biggest danger in this whole episode is a fuselage crack causing an uncontrolled Kool-Aid leak.

PIPE

 

[viper548]

Lol!!

 

[HighSpeedClimb]

Didn't a SWA guy say this would blow by within 2 days. Wait for all the private lawsuits to start...

 

[Hamburger]

Southwest is an airline just like every other airline, people make mistakes, big deal.

You haven't heard? Southwest is some sort of magical company immune to the whims of the free market, fuel prices, recession, strength of the dollar, FAA maintenance regulations, capacity, accidents, bad press, corruption, landing distance numbers, etc........

Southwest just an airline? That would mean that economic realities will force their arrogance to catch up with them just like all the legacy guys. No really, they are special.