Report: FAA Proposes Record Fine of $162 Million Against American Airlines
The Wall Street Journal cites court documents in American Airlines’ ongoing bankruptcy proceedings to report that the Federal Aviation Administration is seeking $162.4 million in proposed penalties for alleged safety issues.
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Maintenance Problems Alleged
The report goes on to call the documents, “the most dramatic indications yet of extensive FAA concerns about the effectiveness of American’s maintenance system” and claims these concerns are shared by many agency inspectors overseeing the airline.
Some of the specific allegations noted by the Journal include not fixing wiring on some Boeing 757s, landing gear issues on 777s and other problems having to do with engines on 767s.
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Not American’s First Clash with FAA
This is not the first time the airline has clashed with the FAA over maintenance. Back in 2010, FareCompare reported on a near-$1 million fine proposed for three separate maintenance issues. This past February, American announced it was cutting 13,000 jobs with the bulk of them from its maintenance operations and proposed shutting down its Ft. Worth maintenance facility.
Other FAA Actions This Summer
This has been a busy summer for the FAA – earlier this month, it began an investigation into what was initially described as a near-collision of three planes at Washington Reagan airport, while in July it proposed a $13 million fine against aircraft maker Boeing for allegedly missing deadlines. It also came out with a recommendation that parents not hold babies in laps, but buy them a ticket and equip it with a safety seat.
