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:
-
Placed three Employees on administrative leave. Those Employees are cooperating with the investigation.
-
Hired a respected outside consultant with proven experience to help review its maintenance program controls, especially Airworthiness Directive (AD) compliance.
-
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
I am a dedicated SW customer. Lov the airline and the folks that fly with me on my dozens of trips I have taken.
With every company there are cracks in there system. It is how the company handles these cracks is what is important. Identifying the problem, fixing the problem and then dealing with the problem so that it will not happen again is what is important. I believe Southwest has taken this situation by the horns and is doing what it should to see that it does not happen again!
So, congrats to Southwest for looking out for their customers!
Southwest is committing fraud with their new awards policy. They do not really offer ANY seats for the standard award but always have seats for the upgraded award. Instead of bait and switch, why don't they just tell their customers the amount of points needed for a ticket has doubled? Why? because then everyone would cancel their southwest credit cards and they would be out of business. Seems like what they are doing is illegal.
I think swa should at the least reimburse us all
How can Southwest say that they should not have had planes in the air and that passengers were not at risk in the same paragragh?
I have made more than 30 flights with SWA. How many times was I not at risk????????????????
As a FAA Inspector preparing to leave the agency I have a unique view of the culture within our ranks.
The issues here are complex. We have for years viewed the airlines as a "customer". Right or wrong, this relationship of collaboration has resulted in a difficult balancing act for us inspectors between regulatory compliance and the safety reporting system known as the Voluntary Disclosure Reporting Program.
The events surrounding Southwest are not isolated or unique but are systemic throughout the aviation industry. The challenge we're faced with is how do we move forward and prevent this from happening in the future.
I would leave you with this thought. There are just over 3000 Aviation Safety Inspectors out there doing their very best to ensure aviation safety, please thank them.
I for some reason do not understand why everyone is bashing SWA here... No matter what happens, it is a lose lose situation... Look at American, Grounded 200 flights which grew to over 300. Hmm.. Seems as this was in concerns to an AD inspection over site... Why are they not being slammed, or Quantas Air who had passenger O2 service with Nitrogen, which is a deadly mistake. 55 Airplanes were serviced... I mean like really, where is eveyone going here. Is it just that SWA is held more accountable than the rest, or is this somehow a statement for the outside designed to damage SWA. This thing is way out of hand. SWA Admittedly made a mistake and is working to fix it. Most other airlines have had much worse than that!
Yo! Hypocrisy lives!
I posted a link about this story from the New York Times on Southwest's Facebook page--and they BANNED MY ACCOUNT. They meaning SOUTHWEST, not Facebook.
Jerks!
I guess the public sentiment was overwhelming and Southwest just couldn't hide this dirty little secret any longer.
I flew Southwest last week and wondered of the 737 would soon become a convertible like the Hawaiian plane did when it's top peeled off. Overdramatic my behind! It takes just one oversight to cause an accident or crash. Don't tell me about overengineering, and the planes are overengineered to be safe. If that's the case, then why do we have any wrecks at all. Southwest was just lucky this time. The fact that Southwest is in bed with the FAA inspectors doesn't make me confident when I fly yours or anybody else's planes nowadays. You're all the same. You fire three people as window dressing, then it's business as usual. At least it's safer than driving.
The was a quote If you dont listen to the media you are uninformed. If you listen to the media you are misinformed. The media has a way of making new look worse to keep ratings up. SWA is still safer then most of the cars that the passengers are driving to and from the airport.
Hey Chuck N
Thanks for the heads up. We have a blogroll too, with links to Delta, Boeing and a ton of other sites related to the travel industry, but for some reason, its not displaying the links. I'll check on it and get them back up. It may be Monday though.
Brian