Complacence highlighted - Southwest Case Pulls FAA Further Down The Well

With high levels of complacence having set into the Federal Aviation Administration’s system, the organization has become more airline friendly than being an airline inspecting authority, the consequences of which can be dangerous for most of all to the customers of the airlines than anyone else.

Despite slapping a never before fine of $10.2 million on the Southwest Airline, for violating the safety norms, FAA has been unable to gain a clean chit in the issue. The FAA’s regional office gave the go-ahead for the flights while Southwest sought to fix what were described as tiny cracks that airline officials had reported to the agency.

“We are told that the airlines are our customers,” said FAA inspector Charalambe Boutris. “But we have a more important customer, the taxpayers, who want government to ensure a safe aviation system.”

Boutris, who testified before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, complained last year about safety issues at Southwest Airlines. But his warnings went unheeded as the airline continued to fly planes not properly checked for cracks in the fuselage.

Other FAA inspectors are going on record to disclose what might come as a shocking insight into the levels of corruption and carrier favoring attitude that has seeped into the organization.

Boutris and another FAA whistle-blower, Douglas Peters, told the committee that the FAA’s chief maintenance inspector at the time, Douglas T. Gawadzinski, knowingly allowed Southwest to keep planes flying that put passengers at risk, and that another inspector knew of the problem and did nothing.

Peters, also an FAA inspector at Southwest, told that while typing up a report about “unethical actions” at Southwest he got a visit last summer from a supervisor who came into his office, picked up photos of Peters’ family and commented on the importance of family obligations.

“On his way out of the door, he made the following statement: ‘You have a good job here and your wife has a good job over at the Dallas (FAA office). I’d hate to see you jeopardize your and her careers trying to take down a couple of losers,” Peters recalled.

Perters recollected that despite the warning they were not ready to take such a chance and reported the matter.

The committee chairman, Rep. James Oberstar, said FAA managers’ actions displayed “malfeasance bordering on corruption,” adding that if presented to a grand jury, the evidence would result in an indictment.

“I fear that complacency may have set in at the highest levels of FAA management," Oberstar said.

Despite continuous warnings of Southwest skipping inspections since 2003, the concrete steps, indicating the development of a cozy relationship between FAA and the airline, were never taken.

However, when the matter got worse and received the large scale media and public attention that it did, FAA tried to cover its steps by fining Southwest with $10.2 million for its failure to perform mandatory inspections.

The FAA then called for an industry wide review of inspection practices. Beginning in late March, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines each canceled flights to take a closer look at some of their aircraft.
In defending his airline’s safety practices, Kelleher noted that Southwest has never killed any of its passengers. “Safety is job No. 1,” he said.

Kelly, the CEO, agreed that “better judgment should have been exercised” when the decision was made to keep flying uninspected planes.

“We will make all of the necessary changes” to ensure safety will never be compromised again, Keller said, apologizing to the committee for the neglect on the part of the airline