The following statement was just issued regarding our preliminary investigations into allegations that Southwest Airlines violated FAA regulations in March 2007.
SOUTHWEST AIRLINES RESPONDS TO PRELIMINARY FINDINGS OF ITS INTERNAL INVESTIGATION
DALLAS--March 11, 2008--Southwest Airlines 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:
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Placed three Employees on administrative leave. Those Employees are cooperating with the investigation.
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Hired a respected outside consultant with proven experience to help review its maintenance program controls, especially Airworthiness Directive (AD) compliance.
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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."
Comments
Good work SWA.. meeting the problem head on. You'll still see me onboard!
- I have been regularly flying SWA for 12 years, more that 50 round trips a year.
- I regret to see SWA being in this situation. Some of the management needs to be fired too because they took their job for granted.
- It can't be merely confined to just a few employees. So let us see some action where some people get fired & prison time.
Sean
I am truly disappointed and will not fly with SWA anymore! The company is still in denial of its wrong doing. Small cracks will turn into large, dangerous ones without prompt repairs. Stop lying and doing superficial change. It's time for real top-down reform.
Ellen - You're being dramatic. Commercial Airplanes are purposefully over-engineered.
Sean - I'd rather have the employees (and let us not forget that managers are still people and employees) who has gone through this and made the screwup, been publicly called on the carpet still in the seat. Why? There is no way they'll do it again.
Here we go again... Lack of not understanding of how things work. Not saying that you will fly the airline again... LOL, Then you should never fly again. All of this is minor compared other "High Cost Carriers". This has happened MANY MANY times in the past... But I think this is a first for SWA, for for most, there is not one person who could tell you how many they have. I work for a company that has had 13 self disclosures this year. I do not understand the press jumping all of this. It is a NON-News Item.
I feel really that this is more politcal that the FAA is trying to prove itself to Congress and who ever then next President will be.
SWA self disclosed all of this, and got back into compliance as quickly as they could. They contacted both the FAA and Boeing. Boeing is the manurfacture of the airplane. They are the experts on it. This is a totally NON-ISSUE as all airlines have this type of BS. The difference here is that the Media got wind of it and wanted to make some money off of it. Good News does not sell.. Bad news does... The real victim here is SWA, the Real Victor is the News Media. As a General rule, what I see on CNN (Communist News Network), I pretty much dismiss... Just remember.. Every time that you go to their wesite to see an update on this article... They make money... How... Advertisements. If you watch a CNN Video, you see a comercial, if you see text. You see paid ads... It is all about the news networks making money, on a blown out of propotion issue, that should have never been in the news.
Two comments:
1. To everybody on the Nuts about Southwest Blog team, thank you for allowing an open dialog here on the blog for people to voice their concerns. It truly speaks to the faith you have in Southwest to allow others to say that they are disappointed in the carrier. Well done, this is how a blog is supposed to work.
2. As a former intern in the maintenance area, I have seen first hand how dedicated Southwest mechanics are, and how carefully they check each and every plane that rolls into the hangar. I have always had, and will continue to have, 100% confidence in an aircraft that Southwest says is safe to fly. You'll see me on board another Southwest plane the next time I have a reason to fly, I'll always be a dedicated customer and a big fan.
I have flown SWA almost exclusively for quite a number of years and, except for periodic harassment about my size, my experience has been most positive. However, the recent reports of maintenance discrepancies have been disconcerting. Low fares are a poor trade off for safety. A statement from the FAA or other independent source that all of the expressed concerns have been addressed would be appreciated by me and, I am sure, many other of your loyal customers...G.C. Rothman
And the spin continues...3 suspended and not a single employee asks why they weren't suspended last year? Why is SWA only investigating now instead of last year? Anyone check out the recent reports of SWA and their FAA buddies falsifying reports?
Or what about former FAA Supervisor Gawadzinski allowing his former colleague employed by SWA, Paul Comeau, to get away with not grounding the planes with the cracks immediately?
As before, no SWA employee will answer, just say how safe everything is...
I am gratefull to see Gary"s full message to employees posted on the blog! It's great to know that people are being held accountable for their actions, or lack thereof. As an employee of Southwest, I am disgraced that we didn't live up to your expectations, and missed the inspections! Given the oversight, I'm also glad that no incidents occurred because of our lack urgency. That's not to say anything positive about the FAA agents though either! They can ground a plane instantly, and they didn't!
I am right there with the rest of you! I hope WE live up to your expectations in the future! This is an embarrassment to me personally, as well as to the 35,000 + employees and to our dedicated, returning customers. I hope you are forgiving!!! I'm sorry we have let you down, and caused you to consider other airlines. Knowing Southwest Airlines, rest assured this will never happen again! We are safe, we are friendly, and we will not compromise our jobs. I'm sorry that a few employees have strayed from their commitment to Southwest Airlines. Their motives and facts still have to be discovered, and I hope Southwest will become stronger and more diligent in providing a safe and secure travelling environment.
Please wait to see what the full investigation reveals before counting Southwest out!!
LOL.
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