Southwest Airlines grounds around 42 jets after safety probe

[HURAKAN]

Southwest Airlines grounds dozens of jets after safety probe

11:29 AM CDT on Wednesday, March 12, 2008
By DAVE MICHAELS / The Dallas Morning News
dmichaels@dallasnews.com

Southwest Airlines has grounded as many as 42 of its Boeing jets for possible structural damage, the Federal Aviation Administration said Wednesday.

The airline’s decision comes as it faces regulatory and congressional investigations into its decision last year to keep flying 46 jets that required safety inspections for fuselage damage.

The FAA has proposed a record $10.2 million fine for those violations.

Southwest informed the FAA about the decision to ground the jets earlier Wednesday morning, FAA spokeswoman Laura Brown said.

Shortly before 11 a.m., a Southwest Airlines spokeswoman declined to confirm or deny the FAA report.

As of Dec. 31, 2007, Southwest flew 520 Boeing 737 jets, including 194 of the older Boeing 737-300 that have been the target of the stepped-up fuselage inspections.

Southwest said Tuesday that it had placed three employees on leave in connection with an internal investigation into the safety lapses.