Documents Suggest Cozy Relationship Between FAA, Southwest

DALLAS (AP) – Documents released by congressional investigators show federal aviation authorities “falsified” a report that allowed Southwest Airlines to continue flying.

That’s despite missing required inspections for metal fatigue. The documents released by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee also show officials with the Federal Aviation Administration were too cozy with the airlines they regulate.

According to the documents, two whistle-blowers told the committee that FAA supervisors and colleagues blunted their efforts to force Southwest to follow an FAA order to re-inspect the planes.

Much of the information in the documents released this week came out last week. That’s when the FAA announced a 10.2 million-dollar fine against Dallas-based Southwest. That’s the biggest in FAA history.

The documents added new details and tone to the controversy, which has damaged the reputations of both Southwest and the FAA. Southwest has said it plans to appeal the million penalty.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)