Wed, Feb 13, 2008
Whistleblowers Say Agency Let Planes Fly W/O Inspections
A congressional investigation into FAA oversight of maintenance
at Southwest Airlines has been triggered by whistleblowers who
allege -- paraphrasing here -- that Southwest has been a little too
free to move about the country.
House Transportation Committee Chairman James Oberstar, a
Minnesota Democrat, says he received documentation showing the FAA
inspector responsible for Southwest allowed the airline to operate
aircraft in revenue service without properly inspecting the
aircraft for fuselage cracks. The charge was made in a letter from
the Transportation Department inspector general's office to the
FAA.
The Associated Press reports The House Transportation Committee
has scheduled an oversight hearing March 12, that will include a
review of findings of an investigation by congressional staffers
and the Transportation Department of the FAA's oversight of
aircraft maintenance.
Representatives from the FAA and Southwest did not return calls
from the AP for comment Tuesday afternoon.
The inspector general's office said the audit will begin this
week, and investigate how thoroughly the FAA investigated the
whistleblower allegations, and what measures were taken by the
agency to correct "any inappropriate inspector actions."
The review could also result in a recommendation for the FAA to
strengthen its oversight process, according to the letter from
DOT's inspector general.
On Monday, the Teamsters union seized on the news to call for a
moratorium on all aircraft maintenance done overseas, claiming
foreign locations are not properly regulated. The union has support
in its position from a business travel trade group and some members
of congress.
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