From Deseret News archives:
Southwest groundings: Airline cancels 139 flights to check soundness of jets
The groundings affected about 8 percent of Southwest's fleet, and came as the airline faces a $10.2 million civil penalty for continuing to fly nearly 50 planes that hadn't been inspected for cracks in their fuselages.
Southwest shares fell more than 9 percent before closing down 7.3 percent.
Since the Federal Aviation Administration announced the penalty last week, Southwest has endured a steady drip of bad publicity, which is unusual for the nation's most consistently profitable carrier and one that has never had an accident that killed passengers or crew members.
On Wednesday, word filtered out that the airline had taken 38 planes out of service, along with five others that were already in hangars undergoing routine maintenance. That's about 8 percent of Southwest's fleet.
Spokeswoman Linda Rutherford said Southwest took the action after getting clarification from manufacturer Boeing Co. on Tuesday night about the type of inspection visual or magnetic, or a combination of both needed for areas around the windows on some older Boeing 737-300 and 737-500 jets.
Rutherford told the Deseret Morning News that none of the Southwest planes had been grounded in Salt Lake City.
Rutherford said the remainder of the 38 taken off tarmacs were expected to be back flying by Wednesday night. A 44th plane covered by the Boeing instructions had already been retired, she said.
Southwest had canceled 139 flights by late Wednesday afternoon, or about 4 percent of its scheduled flights for the day, according to Flightstats.com, which tracks airline operations.
The company said it had 520 Boeing 737 jets at the end of last year. Nearly 200 of them are older models, the Boeing 737-300, that were supposed to undergo extra inspections for cracks in the fuselage.
The FAA said Acting Administrator Robert A. Sturgell met Wednesday with Southwest Chief Executive Gary Kelly, who gave a briefing on the steps the airline is taking to comply with inspection orders. The FAA is conducting its own review.
Comments
- Rep. bashes Dems over health care 9:09 a.m.
- Former China ambassador Lilley dies 9:08 a.m.
- Google concedes on digital book deal 9:00 a.m.
- New Zealand reaches World Cup 8:57 a.m.
- New Milwaukee archdiocese leader 8:56 a.m.
- 3A: Hurricane 24, Park City 19 2:29 a.m.
- GameDay back in the MWC 2:19 a.m.
- Westminster campus briefs 1:49 a.m.
- SUU campus briefs 1:48 a.m.
- Dixie campus briefs 1:47 a.m.
- Williams leaves, won't play tonight
- Unga family is making its mark
- Attack meant to kill apostle
- Trial begins in toddler death
- ESPN suddenly loves MWC
- Man killed during 3rd I-15 crash
- Study: Divorce likely when wife ill
- Short-handed Jazz fly past Sixers
- Can BYU root for (ick) Utah Utes?
- Selfishness to blame for Jazz woes?
- SLC council OKs gay rights policies
348 - Editorial: Mormons and gay rights
199 - Senators want food tax restored
162 - Will state consider gay rights law?
145 - Letters: Strange breed in Utah
129 - Utes remain silent about BCS
120 - S.L. vote pending on gay protections
113 - Celtics crush Jazz
103 - Pratt pleads not guilty to sex charges
102 - Hatch empathizes with Muslims
88
If you are looking for a bird on the cheap, the following specials from...
Maybe someone out there can help me understand how raising the state...
True. It's not terribly funny and if it has any effect on society, it won't...
What else would you expect to find in a book called "The Founders on Religion"?
Ok not to be rude here, but check the stats, Hinds isnt first in yards and...
t-hinds = best player in utah
Anonymous: Was that English? I though conservatives believed if you are in...
Wow! Glad the Lord kept you safe. Separate comment: That was a horrible...
I have never been to a Utah high school game before as I am not from the...
It would behoove the above commenters to recall that religion, including our...
Only 8000 attendance? BYU had 16,000+ tonight. What is wrong with Ute fans?...
ian you are the 3A MVP If you win next week so just do it that would be nice....



You can be the first to comment on this story.