FAA Issues Letter To Southwest Voicing Safety Concerns Over Labor Dispute
The current and very public labor dispute at Southwest Airlines has the top safety official at the FAA on edge. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, FAA's Ali Bahrami issued a letter to Southwest and its mechanics in an unusual move outlining the concerns held by the FAA.
In his letter, Mr. Bahrami stated that the FAA is worried that the current dispute between labor and management "raises concern about the ongoing effectiveness of the airline's safety management system." He went on to say he wanted "to emphasize the importance of ensuring cooperatively, in accordance with FAA standards, the highest level of safety in the airline's operations."
Last month Southwest declared an operational emergency when the number of out-of-service aircraft spiked, causing flight delays and numerous cancellations. The airline has claimed that the mechanics union — the Aircraft Mechanics Fraternal Association — had engaged in a coordinated slowdown and removal of aircraft from service for minor cosmetic issues rather than issues related to flight safety.
While the union is denying any wrong doing, they are airing their own concerns about management. The union has stated that some members feel pressured to overlook issues in preference for keeping the aircraft operational and on time. The airline says they encourage employees to raise concerns and that it considers safety of the passengers above all else.
The dispute stems from the fact that the mechanics at Southwest haven't received a new contract. Ongoing negotiations have been dragging on for the past six years. The issues at the airline had already prompted the FAA to up their safety inspections of the airline during the past year after it found that the airline wasn't correctly calculating the total weight of checked bags being loaded onto aircraft.
While the letter didn't cite any specific incidents or actual lapses in safety at Southwest, it does make it clear that the FAA will be keeping a very close eye on the airline in the near future.
Featured Photo by Robert Alexander/Getty Images
TPG featured card
at Capital One's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 5X miles | Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel |
| 2X miles | Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day |
Pros
- Stellar welcome offer of 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Plus, a $250 Capital One Travel credit to use in your first cardholder year upon account opening.
- You'll earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, which means you won't have to worry about memorizing bonus categories
- Rewards are versatile and can be redeemed for a statement credit or transferred to Capital One’s transfer partners
Cons
- Highest bonus-earning categories only on travel booked via Capital One Travel
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
- Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
- Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
- Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Top rated mobile app