Big Airlines’ Safety Plans Effective, Generally Followed, Report Says

Major airlines are working to improve their safety management programs, and all meet basic federal regulations, says a government report that looks at the industry in general but contains few details about individual carriers.

The Federal Aviation Administration this summer reviewed safety management at the largest airlines and released a summary of its findings Friday.

Nick Lacey, director of the FAA’s Flight Standards Service, said detailed reports on individual airlines won’t be available until early next year.

Overall, Lacey said, the basic safety programs in use are effective, and airlines generally follow their written plans.

Lack of maintenance documentation at Alaska Airlines led the FAA to undertake the study.

After an Alaska Airlines crash off Southern California on Jan. 31 that killed 88 people, the FAA required major improvements in the airline’s maintenance procedures.