Swa maintenance issues?

[GuppyWN]

I agree. Rules are rules. No ifs ands or buts. The problem is that when this was discovered the Feds gave us a timeline to complete the inspectioins and we complied. The Feds give waivers and ferry permits on a daily basis so there are certainly procedures in place to delay or exempt pilots and carriers for certain "rules" as long as you comply with the proper steps. We did that.

That's the part I am having heartburn with.

Hopefully the "investigation" will answer everyones questions - no matter the outcome. If we were found to be malicious I hope they hammer our asses so we won't consider doing it again.

If we are found to have fully complied with the feds and cleared we will still have been convicted in the court of public opinion.

Gup

 

[jke406]

If we are found to have fully complied with the feds and cleared we will still have been convicted in the court of public opinion.

Gup

SWA has always relied on the moral high ground. They have always attempted to differentiate themselves on that basis.

It's a double-edged sword. You are happy to take advantage of the public's perception of you, when--right or wrong--that perception is positive.

You'll have to live with it when the perception--right or wrong--is that the company sacrificed safety.

 

[Poahi]

Here's the problem with this situation. You are going to be hard pressed to find an FAA employee willing to work with ANY airline (at least for a while) because of the scrutiny from Congress on issues like this. There will be no slack and look for an increase in company violations and possibly an increase in certificate actions.

 

[HighSpeedClimb]

Whistleblower: FAA Co-Workers Spied On Him During SWA Inspections


DALLAS -- According to two Federal Aviation Administration inspectors, corruption, backroom deals and computer snooping jeopardized safety at Southwest Airlines. In documents obtained by NBC 5, the two FAA whistleblowers said colleagues at their own agency, as well as Southwest executives, plotted to sidetrack their safety concerns and even tracked one of them on a computer database.The FAA ordered mandatory inspections of Boeing 737s after an Aloha Airlines jet ripped apart in 1988.The pilot managed to land the plane, but a flight attendant was killed in the incident. The cause was traced to a small crack in the fuselage of the Boeing 737, the same kind of plane flown by Southwest Airlines.On March 15, 2007, Southwest revealed it hadn't performed the inspections on 47 planes, just as one of the FAA whistleblowers had begun digging through the maintenance records.Instead of grounding the planes immediately, Southwest continued flying until March 23, eight days and more than 1,000 flights later, before making repairs.Six of the 47 planes were found to have the cracks. One plane had three cracks.The whistleblowers said the FAA's chief inspector for Southwest allowed the airline to delay the repairs because of a "cozy relationship" with a former inspector hired by the company.

One whistleblower was removed from his position after an "anonymous complaint."The other whistleblower claimed other inspectors friendly with the airline spied on his work by preparing a report about his use of Southwest's maintenance database, called Imagio. He says the other inspectors improperly shared the information with airline executives."I asked myself why and who would they be discussing this with at SWA and for what purpose?" the inspector wrote.The FAA later removed two officials, including the chief inspector, after an internal investigation.Congressional hearings into the allegations are set for early next month.A Southwest spokeswoman declined to comment on any specifics, but said the airline does not fly unsafe planes, and will fight last week's record $10 million fine.

 

[Poahi]

DALLAS, March 11 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV)
CEO Gary Kelly said today the airline is taking action on preliminary findings
of its own internal investigation into allegations that it violated FAA
regulations in March 2007.
Kelly has vowed to make any changes necessary to assure that the airline
is in full compliance with FAA Airworthiness Directives and all of its own
maintenance programs, policies, and procedures.
"Upon learning last month of an investigation with respect to our handling
of this inspection and an Airworthiness Directive, I immediately ordered an
independent and comprehensive investigation by outside counsel," Kelly said.
Last week, we accelerated the internal investigation after Southwest
received details from the FAA's letter of civil penalty. On March 10, Kelly
was given preliminary findings from the internal investigation.
"I am concerned with some of our findings as to our controls over
procedures within our maintenance airworthiness directive and regulatory
compliance processes," Kelly said. "I have insisted that we have the
appropriate maintenance organizational and governance structure in place to
ensure that the right decisions are being made."
Based on those findings, Southwest has:

-- Placed three Employees on administrative leave. Those Employees are
cooperating with the investigation.
-- Hired a respected outside consultant with proven experience to help
review its maintenance program controls, especially Airworthiness
Directive (AD) compliance.
-- Fully engaged with the FAA on its current audit of Southwest and
committed to FAA leadership that it will investigate and address any
deficiencies in its maintenance controls.


"These are important and necessary steps," Kelly said. "At the same time,
we are mindful that during Southwest's 37-year proud history, we have safely
transported the population of the United States -- every man, woman, and child
-- four and a half times over. This is a fact. We have been a safe Company. I
believe we are a safe Company. I am committed to making sure we become safer
still."
SOURCE Southwest Airlines

 

[jke406]

Southwest Airlines, FAA accused of falsifying safety reports

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/031108dnbussouthwest.3b2e20a.html?npc


[SIZE=+1]House panel releases report that states Southwest, agency falsified safety records
[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]01:49 PM CDT on Tuesday, March 11, 2008

[/SIZE] [SIZE=-1]By DAVE MICHAELS / The Dallas Morning News
[email protected] [/SIZE]

WASHINGTON – Officials for Southwest Airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration "falsified the report" that said the airline had come into compliance with rules for crucial safety inspections for jets, according to records released by a U.S. House committee.


That allegation appears in more than 90 pages of documents that suggest a culture of cronyism compromised the FAA's oversight of Southwest Airlines in Dallas. Two whistle-blowers said FAA supervisors and colleagues undermined their efforts to get Southwest to comply with federal directives.....

 

[PCL_128]

Well, this just keeps getting better and better! Comments Tejas? I thought you said this would disappear in the new week's news cycle?

 

[greenbayfan]

We missed inspections, not repairs. There is a big difference. Boeing, the FAA, and we got caught with our britches down but not one passenger has been injured.

True...just leave the passengers getting hurt part to the pilots crashing through airport boundry walls i.e. Burbank and Midway...

Inspections are inspections for a reason, if you are going to hang your hat on that ridiculous statement you need to grow up and realize that the FAA doesn't make up random inspections that cost airlines money for nothing.

And Whataburger, you are joking right? Equating this negative press to Britney Spears negative press? Only a few people have ridden Britney compared to millions on SWA, negative press for lack of safety inspections is ALWAYS a bad thing for an airline.