Soon-to-be released government report questions Southwest Airlines’ safety
An upcoming government report says Southwest Airlines flew millions of passengers on planes with unconfirmed safety records and criticizes the way the local FAA offices handled safety questions at the carrier, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The Journal quotes a draft of an audit report from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s inspector general, saying Dallas-based Southwest has been scrutinized for incidents such as a series of aborted landings during a flight in 2019 in which both wingtips also struck the runway.
The report said the Federal Aviation Administration failed to respond to that and other safety questions.
“It is clear that the agency is not yet effectively navigating the balance between industry collaboration and managing safety risks at the carrier,” said the report, which the Journal reviewed.
A spokesman for Southwest said the airline disagrees with the draft of the report by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General.
“We have communicated our disappointment in the draft audit report to the OIG and will continue to communicate any concerns directly with its office,” Southwest spokesman Chris Mainz said in a statement to The Dallas Morning News. “Southwest maintains a culture of compliance, recognizing the safety of our operation as the most important thing we do. We are considered one of the world’s most admired companies and uphold an unprecedented safety record.”
Southwest and its relationship with the FAA has been scrutinized for more than a year, including questions into approval for flights between California and Hawaii and investigations into Southwest’s baggage loading procedures. Three FAA managers were reassigned because of the baggage investigation.
The FAA proposed a $3.92 million fine on Jan. 10 for mistakes Southwest made in calculating the weight of unloaded aircraft.
Based on the Journal’s report, the new audit report adds more details and makes recommendations about the relationship between Southwest and safety regulators. It said FAA officials complained about how “Southwest often was slow or resistant to providing the agency with safety information.”
The new report also criticizes the FAA for failing to adequately investigate an incident in February 2019 at Bradley International Airport outside Hartford, Conn., according to the Journal. In that incident, pilots tried to land three times during “low-level wind shear” and high wind gusts but aborted just a few feet from touchdown.
“Rather than questioning the pilots’ judgment, the airline took steps to adjust crosswind landing calculations and enhance flight attendant training to alert cockpit crews of wing strikes or other in-flight emergencies, according to the report,” the Journal said.
The report hasn’t been publicly released yet. The Office of Inspector General said it does not comment on investigations that are still open.
“The FAA’s top priority is safety,” said a statement from the FAA. “Upon learning of concerns about how certain aircraft were added to Southwest Airlines’ fleet, the agency took comprehensive action. In addition to actions aimed at ensuring the safety of the aircraft, the FAA appointed a new leadership team at the Southwest CMO. The FAA continues to closely monitor these issues.” www.dallasnews.com