Delta will announce sometime today whether or not it will ground more of its planes to perform additional inspections, reports CNN. Yesterday, while American Airlines was grounding 200 of its planes for safety inspections, Delta also canceled an unnamed number of flights.
faa
By 3.25.08
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FAA orders more inspections of potentially sketchy older “Boeing 737 jetliners after numerous reports of fuel leaks caused by a potentially faulty bolt,” says the Associated Press. [AP]
Southwest Airlines Grounds 42 Planes, Suspends Workers
By 3.12.08
The FAA says that Southwest Airlines has grounded at least 42 planes for “possible structural damage,” says the Dallas Morning News. The announcement comes after the FAA proposed record-breaking fines after an investigation uncovered that Southwest may have kept 46 planes flying even though they required safety inspections for fuselage damage.
Southwest Airlines Takes Flying Unsafe Planes Seriously
By 3.10.08
THE QUOTE:
Dear Rapid Rewards Member:
Did FAA Allow Southwest To Fly Unsafe Planes To Avoid Flight Disruptions?
By 3.7.08
Yesterday the FAA sought $10.2 million in civil damages from Southwest Airlines for neglecting to inspect the fuselages of 46 of its planes.
FAA: New Planes Are Held Together With "Substandard" Parts
By 3.2.08
Terrible news for anyone afraid of flying: the FAA is reporting that the newest passenger planes are held together with “substandard” parts. The oversight at several supplier factories was so shoddy that workers were caught using rulers made of scotch-tape and paper.
By 2.20.08
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A cockpit crew may have fallen asleep during a go! airlines flight from Honolulu to Hilo, Hawaii. [Star-Bulletin via BoingBoing]
Do Safety Inspectors And Airlines Have A Dangerous Conflict Of Interest?
By 1.31.08
BusinessWeek has an article that shines some light on a conflict of interest between the airlines and the FAA safety inspectors. It’s the inspector’s job to make sure the airlines are operating safely—but inspectors who blow the whistle may face pressure from the airlines and retaliation from the FAA’s upper management
The inspectors are the on-the-ground cops who ensure that engines fire up properly, that the wing flaps function, and that all of the other complex machinery in an aircraft is in good working order. They have broad discretion to halt and delay flights–power that often rankles the thinly stretched, financially strapped carriers. When an inspector launches a formal investigation into an apparent safety violation at a passenger airline, something that happened more than 200 times last year, it often triggers costly repairs. And when the bill exceeds $50,000, the FAA must issue a press release alerting the world to the problem.
Couple Paints "FU FAA" On Roof To Protest Jet Noise
By 1.24.08
Fed up with a change in flight patterns that made them sleep in bed at night with earplugs, one Philly couple decided to paint “FUCK YOU FAA. NO FLY ZONE” and a symbol for “no planes” on the top of their roof. Note: in real life, it says “fuck” but the newspaper photoshopped it to just say “FU.” Homeowner Michael Hall said they had tried to lodge complaints with the FAA noise-complaint hotline over 20 times, but whenever they called, an answering machines would apologize for not being able to take their message as the mailbox was full.
Government Will Limit Flights Per Hour At JFK
By 12.19.07
An argument can be made that the irresponsibly overworked New York City airports are causing a bottleneck in air travel that can be felt system-wide. The blame for the area’s poor performance gets passed around between the FAA, the airlines, the airports themselves, the weather and God.
By 12.5.07
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“There is a high risk of a catastrophic runway collision occurring in the United States,” Congress today concluded. [AP]
FAA: Southwest Engine Experienced Vibration. Passengers: The Engine Exploded!
By 12.1.07
According to the FAA, Southwest flight 438 returned to Dallas’ Love Field on November 17 when the plane “experienced a vibration in the number 2 engine” shortly after take-off.
By 11.18.07
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Two planes almost collided this week over Chicago. Don’t worry, the FAA stresses: “These incidents are very, very rare.” [AP]
Next Summer: Fewer Flight Delays, But Higher Prices
By 10.16.07
Here are the results of those secret meetings we told you about last week: flight delays may be cut by as much as 25% by next summer, but the consequence will be fewer flight times to choose from, and higher ticket prices. The airlines are suggesting cutting the number of flights out of the three hubs most responsible for the nation’s delays—JFK, La Guardia, and Newark. “About three-fourths of chronic delays around the country can be traced back to congestion at these three airports,” reports Kiplinger’s.
ATA Tries To Have You Arrested For Using Your iPhone In "Airplane Mode"
By 10.10.07
The iPhone has a setting that makes it safe to use on an airplane. So-called “airplane mode” disables cell phone, radio, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth signals, thus allowing you to watch movies staring Jennifer Love Hewitt while flying through the air.
AT&T To Blame For Memphis Air Traffic Control Snafu
By 9.30.07
AT&T manages the phone line that went out at a Memphis air traffic control center Tuesday, causing massive delays nationwide.
How Old Should Your Pilot Be?
By 9.29.07
Ballard said he needs a Canadian license to land a job with Air India that would help offset the pension he lost during United’s bankruptcy. While India allows pilots to fly until age 65, authorities there are balking at certifying U.S.-licensed pilots who are no longer eligible to fly for their home airlines.
By 9.17.07
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A couple of weeks ago, Business Week published a special report on the sorry state of air travel. Now they’re printing a selection of their reader responses, including FAA apologists (who are from the FAA, naturally), pro-railroad travelers, a pilot who says regional jets are overused, and a guy…
