FAA Mandates Safety Checks for All Airlines

Due to recent aircraft maintenance problems at Southwest Airlines, the FAA ordered inspectors to check that all commercial airlines operating in the U.S. are complying with safety regulations. Earlier this month, the FAA earlier fined Southwest $10.2 million, saying the airline knowingly operated 46 planes that had not been properly inspected for cracks in the fuselage. Southwest has said it would cooperate with FAA investigations and stepped up its own safety checks. The airline last week put three employees on administrative leave after an internal review of its maintenance records. It has even suspended plans to outsource some of its maintenance work to a contractor in El Salvador, according to media reports. For related news