American Airlines Lands into Scrutiny Again

American Airlines called off hundreds of flights on Wednesday to reinspect jets that were checked for compliance with U.S. safety directives two weeks ago. In order to check the bundling of wires in some planes, the airline had canceled 400 flights last month, and the same issue is troubling the nation’s largest carrier again.

Travelers were left jammed with the failure of the flights.

American Airlines said the Federal Aviation Administration raised more concerns about the recent inspections of the wiring in its approximately 300 MD-80 aircraft.

The spacing and direction of cords used to secure bundles of wires in the planes' auxiliary hydraulic systems will be the main focus of inspection. The company said they were not safety-of-flight issues.

The Federal Aviation Administration is examining why the Boeing Co. MD-80 planes that were reviewed in March, were continuing to fly, agency spokeswoman Diane Spitaliere said Tuesday. An FAA audit of nine jets in Dallas-Fort Worth found eight that didn't meet directives, she said.

American's 300 MD-80s represent 46 percent of its task force. The airline operates about 2,300 daily flights with its mainline jets. The FAA also is looking at Delta Air Lines's MD-80s that were checked last month.

The Fort Worth, Texas-based airline revealed that the new inspections were “related to detailed, technical compliance issues and not safety-of-flight issues.” The FAA raised questions regarding previous American inspections of the planes, and the manner in which an engineering change order was followed, according to the airline, a unit of AMR Corp.

185 flights were canceled by late afternoon at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, where the airline often uses MD-80s.

Inspections of planes have been stiffened at all U.S. carriers since the FAA was beleaguered for letting Southwest Airlines Co. fly planes that had skipped safety inspections.

American Airlines and Delta Air Lines Inc. both canceled flights in late last month to carry out the required wiring-related inspections and repairs.