FAA confirms NORTHWEST AIRLINES probe; inspector was reassigned!

The Federal Aviation Administration confirms it is investigating maintenance of aircraft at Northwest Airlines while it is being struck by its union mechanics.

An FAA inspector, reassigned after raising alarms about the performance of strikebreaker mechanics, told his own bosses and Sen. Mark Dayton, D-Minn., that hundreds of unfiled inspection reports mentioned maintenance defects.

After the Wall Street Journal reported this, the FAA confirmed that it was probing Northwest performance and that the inspector's report had triggered it. Northwest itself maintained the planes are professionally maintained.

http://biz.yahoo.com/bizj/050906/1160501.html?.v=2

There are maintenance defects on a LOT of aircraft that can be safely deferred. It is done ALL THE TIME. The mechanics Northwest brought in are FAA qualified and have experience working on commercial airliners - they've been on furlough from other major carriers. I think everybody is surprised how well Northwest has held up so far.

I feel bad for the workers on strike, however the fact is the company cannot continue as it has been operating and survive. Just look at the financial numbers and the rising cost of fuel. How many people on this board buy the cheapest airline tickets possible by flying on discount carriers? Americans in general are simply not willing to pay for people to have living wages. Most fly with the companies who maintain the cheapest labor costs.

The company cannot survive with boobs as leaders who take big pay bonuses and strangle the help. The CEO who has been with the company for 13 years stands to make $950,000 a year in pension benefits----and that is one of THREE pensions he has assigned to himself. Peace.

I don't think I did. The problem is capitalism and the fact that there are people out there willing to work for cheaper than the workers on strike. Most people go for the cheapest ticket they can find... unions be damned. They don't give a damn about the person throwing bags, fueling, or fixing planes. They want to fly to Vegas for cheaper than they can drive.

edit: I did blame the workers in a way, but only because they are not willing to accept the pay they are being offered in our capitalistic system. They really do deserve better pay, but it simply cannot be done, even if you cut salaries and bonuses. I meant to blame the system and American public who will only buy the cheapest tickets. That is the true problem.

"unions be damned"....that is the American theme now. Let's outsource until our goods and services are so cheap that we can't afford them anymore becuase no one is working! :(