DALLAS (1080 KRLD) - A government report that is expected to be released soon, says Southwest Airlines failed to prioritize safety and the airline’s regulator, the Federal Aviation Administration, hasn’t done enough about it, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.
The report says Southwest pilots flew more than 17 million passengers on planes with unconfirmed maintenance records over roughly two years.
The problems are highlighted in a draft audit by the agency’s inspector general that also criticizes the FAA’s oversight of the carrier as lax, ineffective and inconsistent.
The document indicates no agency enforcement action resulted from the safety hazards.
The report also alleges the FAA’s overall approach served to “justify continued noncompliance with safety regulations."
1080 KRLD received a statement from Southwest Airlines on Thursday morning which read:
"We have communicated our disappointment in the draft audit report to the OIG and will continue to communicate any concerns directly with its office. Southwest maintains a culture of compliance, recognizing the Safety of our operation as the most important thing we do. We are proud of our Safety Culture, which includes proactive, non-punitive processes for reporting, including the opportunity for anonymous reports. We are considered one of the world’s most admired companies and uphold an unprecedented safety record.
As part of our Safety Culture, we have a transparent relationship with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which includes an FAA-Approved Safety Management System designed to manage and mitigate operational risks and execute safe operating programs and practices. Our operational systems are built to meet or exceed all regulatory requirements and our Safety Management System is integrated into all of our operational practices in order to evaluate and continuously improve Safety performance.
Our friends, our families board our aircraft and not a single one of us would put anything above their safety – this mission unites us all. The success of our business depends, in and of itself, on the Safety of our operation, and while we work to improve each and every day, any implication that we would tolerate a relaxing of standards is absolutely unfounded."
