4 airlines target of maintenance inquiry
Four U.S. airlines are being investigated for their suspected failure to comply with federal regulations dealing with aircraft maintenance, the Federal Aviation Administration said Wednesday, although it stressed that the nation’s air fleet was safe.
The FAA declined to release the names of the four airlines, citing the ongoing investigation and privacy issues, but said fines might be levied. Two airlines failed to complete inspections of wire bundles, one didn’t finish repetitive inspections, and another lacked a plan for compliance with an FAA directive, the agency said.
The announcement came as FAA officials prepared to testify today about the agency’s air safety efforts at a congressional hearing. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Rep. James L. Oberstar (D-Minn.) called the hearing, saying the FAA had a “cozy” relationship with the carriers it regulated.
In a briefing Wednesday, the FAA detailed results from the first part of the agency’s two-part audit of maintenance record-keeping and performance of the nation’s 117 larger airlines. The second stage of its review will conclude June 30.
During the first phase of the audit, aviation safety inspectors performed about 2,400 audits of FAA “airworthiness directives” from March 13 to 28 and found a compliance rate of about 99%.
“The bottom line, despite what a small few may imply, is that our system works and that flying is safer today than at any time in the past,” said Robert A. Sturgell, the FAA’s acting administrator.
Sturgell also announced five initiatives to help the FAA better monitor the airlines, including enabling inspectors to raise their concerns more quickly and at a higher level, enhancing airline safety by improving the clarity and coordination of FAA-issued directives, and speeding up the expansion of the agency’s comprehensive aviation safety database.
Airlines contacted Wednesday either declined to comment about the investigation or said they weren’t aware if they were involved.
“We have not received any formal communication that we are being targeted for inspection,” said US Airways Group Inc. spokesman Philip Gee. “But like the rest of the industry, we are participating in an audit to ensure our program is in full compliance and we are confident that the findings will reflect that we are.”
Representatives of AMR Corp.’s American Airlines and Delta Air Lines Inc. declined to comment on whether they were involved in the investigation. Southwest Airlines Co. and Northwest Airlines Corp. representatives could not be reached for comment, and Jean Medina, a spokeswoman for UAL Corp.’s United Airlines, said, “We have not been informed that we are.”
Maintenance issues have taken on a higher profile at U.S. airports for weeks after the FAA assessed a $10.2-million fine against Southwest Airlines on March 6 for missed safety inspections. Since then, United, American Eagle, American and Delta have conducted voluntary inspections in conjunction with the FAA’s audit of aircraft maintenance records.
“We had a breakdown in the system with Southwest Airlines,” Sturgell said. “It was a two-way breakdown. There is no excuse.”
Also on Wednesday, United grounded dozens of Boeing 777s to test their cargo fire-suppression systems.
United said it had canceled 41 flights, including three from Los Angeles International Airport, as of Wednesday afternoon to work on the planes after a review of maintenance records showed that a test of the fire-suppression system hadn’t been performed.
The cancellations affected several thousand passengers around the world, as United’s 777s fly many international routes from major hubs.
Testing on all 52 of United’s 777s -- 11% of its overall fleet -- was expected to be completed early today.
“While those of us in the industry compete across a full range of issues, we work together to ensure we continue to meet the rigorous standards we set for ourselves and the government sets for us,” United Chief Executive Glenn Tilton said in a statement.
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