WASHINGTON, Sept 11 (Askume) – The head of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said the agency began a review of United Airlines (UAL.O) in March to make sure the airline complies with safety rules.
The Federal Aviation Administration began a formal review of the Chicago-based airline after a series of safety incidents earlier this year. FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker told reporters after the speech that the review is “nearly complete.”
United had no immediate comment.
In April, United said it was delaying the launch of two new international routes because the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) suspended some certificates as it began a safety review.
Whitaker said in May that the airline could accept delivery of new planes after United conducts final inspections of new aircraft to replace older models , but only if FAA personnel are present.
On March 15, a United Airlines plane was found missing while landing in Oregon. Earlier, a Boeing 737 MAX plane operated by United Airlines rolled over on grass in Houston, and another United Airlines 777 plane had a tire burst after takeoff and was diverted to Los Angeles and landed safely.
United CEO Scott Kirby was asked about the FAA review at an industry forum on Tuesday and cited three well-publicized incidents. “None of them are related,” Kirby said. “While there were no major discoveries in the process … it does confirm that the foundation is really strong.”
In July, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said it was launching a similar safety review of Southwest Airlines (LUV.N) after a number of crashes involving pilot-related issues raised serious concerns. Whitaker said Southwest’s review was “a little more narrow.”
Southwest Airlines told pilots this week that it would hold a safety day for pilots to openly discuss “in-depth, accessible, peer-to-peer discussions about specific incidents” without fear of retaliation. The pilot will run from November 2024 to early 2025, depending on schedules and availability.
Whittaker said he has discussed the issue with Southwest CEO Bob Jordan. “They’re working on it and we’re working with them, so pilot training seems to be a reasonable outcome,” Whittaker said.
