FAA Gets Slapped Over Southwest Airlines

Normally, when the federal government launches an investigation into a problem in the aviation industry, it’s a specific airline or possibly an airport that’s in the crosshairs. Today, it appears the government’s own outlet—the Federal Aviation Administration—is under scrutiny.

The U.S. Office of Special Counsel has sent a report to the White House and to Congress accusing the FAA of improper handling of a Southwest Airlines safety issue two years ago, the Dallas Business Journal reported today.

“Specifically, the office is alleging that FAA employees dealing with Southwest failed to enforce airworthiness directives. The report says an investigation discovered that a supervisory-principal maintenance inspector—who replaced another manager who was removed after a previous investigation—violated FAA policy by allowing Southwest to self-disclose noncompliance issues related to 55 Boeing 737 aircraft,” the Business Journal reported.

An FAA spokesman said the agency had already taken steps to prevent similar situations from happening in the future.

For more on the story, click here. The Dallas Business Journal and Portfolio.com are both owned by American City Business Journals.