Southwest Airlines Paid Millions In Fines

By DAVID KOENIG | April 24, 2018 10:29 am

DALLAS (AP) — Southwest Airlines runs its planes hard. They make many short hops and more trips per day than other U.S. airliners, which adds to wear and tear on parts, including the engines.

As the investigation into last week’s deadly engine failure continues, Southwest CEO Gary Kelly could face questions about whether the company’s low-cost business model — which puts its planes through frequent takeoffs and landings — is putting passengers at risk.

Some aviation safety experts said they see no reason for alarm. And, in fact, Southwest’s safety record is enviable: Until last week, no passenger had died in an accident during its 47-year history.

Still, the Dallas-based airline has paid millions over the past decade to settle safety violations, including fines for flying planes that didn’t have required repairs. Twice in the past nine years, holes have torn open in the roofs of Southwest planes in flight.

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/southwest-airlines-fines-before-deadly-engine-failure

This is unconscionable and I a retired Airframe and Powerplanet Technician with a college degree, and I have grounded many airplanes and anyone in Maintenance and Maintenance Control that is by passing the operating cycles of the inspection requirements during a check, and encouraging the "outsourcing" of the maintenance to third party businesses should have there license pulled. They are suppose to operate under that license under the FAA 43.13 guidelines, and not some business model set up by some bean counter CFO looking to make the quarter wall street fucking earnings report..........................

When I was in the industry my attitude was that if and when I signed that log book and performed my checks, and if I failed in my job requirement and killed someone, I could be charged with "murder", and no company is worth that price