Una histórica multa de USD$10.200.000.- aplicará la F.A.A. contra Southwest Airlines por continuar volando algunas de sus aeronaves más antiguas después que se ordenó revisar (Y antes de la revisión) esos modelos por grietas.
La aerolínea operó 46 aeronaves en esta condición, sumando 1451 vuelos, después de haberse detectado. Antes que eso operó 60.000 vuelos entre 2006 y 2007 con estas aeronaves. La orden de inspeccionar las aeronaves emanó de la F.A.A. el 2004.
Southwest señaló que cumplieron con todo lo requerido y que pagarán cualquier multa.
Las multas por estos conceptos pueden llegar a 36 millones de dólares.
La F.A.A. igualmente quedó en entredicho debido a que hay una denuncia en el sentido que un inspector habria permitido que las aeronaves en cuestión de Southwest continuasen volando, denuncia que está siendo investigada por un comité del congreso de Estados Unidos y por el Inspector General del Departamento de Transporte.
Southwest nunca ha sufrido un accidente en que haya muerto alguien que vaya a bordo.
Southwest cuenta con una flota de aproximandamente 520 Boeing 737 (200, 300, 500 y 700) una gran aerolinea en EU. Y que no puedan retirar 46 aeronaves con problemas, me imagino que lo que ganaron en esos vuelos con esas aeronaves en conflicto fue mucho mas de lo que deben pagar. Saludos
Sorry por postear en inglés, pero es interesante. Fuente: AvWeb marzo 10 2008.
Boeing Defends Southwest – BOEING DEFIENDE A SOUTHWEST -
Boeing is leaping to the defense of its biggest customer, issuing a statement saying it agreed with Southwest Airlines’ plan to continue flying 46 older 737s that hadn’t been inspected for specific fatigue cracks. “In Boeing’s opinion, the safety of the Southwest fleet was not compromised,” Boeing said in a statement released late Thursday, a day after the FAA proposed fines of $10.2 million against the airline. $10 million of that fine is to be levied for 1,451 flights conducted on the 46 737-300s after Southwest blew the whistle on itself for not carrying out the fatigue crack inspections during the previous year. After discovering the lapse in inspections and reporting it to the FAA, the airline reinspected the aircraft and found six with small cracks, which were repaired. However, the aircraft remained in service during the 10 days it took to inspect them and that’s what the FAA is so cranky about. “The FAA is taking action against Southwest Airlines for a failing to follow rules that are designed to protect passengers and crew,” said Nick Sabatini, the agency’s associate administrator for safety. “We expect the airline industry to fully comply with all FAA directives and take corrective action.”
Southwest, perhaps with some justification, is pointing out that it discovered the error itself and moved to fix the problem as soon as it could. Before launching any of the 46 aircraft involved, it checked with Boeing to see if that posed a potential hazard. “Southwest Airlines contacted Boeing for verification of their technical opinion that the continued operation of their Classic 737s, for up to ten days until the airplanes could be reinspected, did not pose a safety of flight issue,” Boeing said in a statement. “Based on a thorough review of many factors, including fleet history and test data, as well as other inspections and maintenance previously incorporated, Boeing concluded the 10-day compliance plan was technically valid.”