Southwest Airlines has placed three employees on ”administrative leave” and hired an outside consultant to review its maintenance programme following an internal investigation into allegations that it violated Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations last March.
Earlier this week the FAA initiated an action to fine Southwest an unprecedented $10.2m (”5m) for failing to perform mandatory inspections on 46 of its aircraft ” and on six of them it subsequently found fuselage damage.
Today (12 March), based on the preliminary findings from its own investigation, Southwest CEO Gary Kelly vowed to make any changes necessary to ensure that the airline is in full compliance with FAA Airworthiness Directives and all of its own maintenance programmes, policies, and procedures.
”I am concerned with some of our findings as to our controls over procedures within our maintenance airworthiness directive and regulatory compliance processes,” he said. ”I have insisted that we have the appropriate maintenance organisational and governance structure in place to ensure that the right decisions are being made.”
The airline says the three employees in question are cooperating with the investigation. It also said it fully engaged with the FAA on its current audit of Southwest, and committed to the FAA leadership that it will investigate and address any deficiencies in its maintenance controls.
”These are important and necessary steps,” said Kelly. ”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.”
The FAA said that the airline has 30 days from receipt of its civil penalty letter to respond.