After it was recently reported that Southwest Airlines had been flying dozens of jets that had not been properly inspected for structural damage, as well as a recent crackdown on other airline maintenance issues, United Airlines has announced it will ground its fleet of 777s for maintenance checks. American Airlines and Delta canceled hundreds of flights of the MD-80 last week to ensure they were in compliance with FAA directives.
United has found that tests relating to one of the bottles in the cargo fire suppression system on the 777 had not been performed. They opted to ground the fleet and voluntarily disclose this information to the FAA rather than risk a fine.
The Cracks in Southwest Airlines
This stems from the discovery that Southwest knowingly violated mandatory inspections, and when they belatedly conducted the inspections they found cracks in the bodies of six 737s. The longest crack measured four inches in length. The FAA fined Southwest $10.2 million, the largest ever levied against an airline. Southwest has said it will challenge the fine, and that the carrier is the one who revealed to the FAA the lapses in their inspection. It has also been reported that a supervisor who permitted the airline to fly after knowing there were cracks in the jets has been suspended.
It is widely known that flying is the safest way to travel. Very few airlines crash, and very few have mechanical problems where an emergency takes place. However, these things happen. If a plane goes down, the chances of survival aren’t very good for those on the plane, as well as any bystanders on the ground.
Some of the crashes, as well as some of the mechanical problems may have been avoided with the maintenance checks we expect from airlines. With this new knowledge that Southwest has failed to maintain its safety inspections, a potential ripple effect has occurred. Other airlines are now grounding flights and inspecting their airlines as if they’re next on the FAA’s list. This news also comes from some concern that airline maintenance across the board is lax in some areas.
For many people, flying can be an uncomfortable or even terrifying experience. Flying with the knowledge that a major airline disaster may rest with maintenance on the ground and execs in offices shouldn’t add to the concern of these people.
If you have lost a loved one in a commercial airline disaster, please contact an experienced injury lawyer in your area.
