The Federal Aviation Administration is ramping up its oversight of United Airlines following a worrying spike in midflight incidents.
There have been almost a dozen incidents in just a few weeks, including a plane losing a tire on takeoff.
The FAA will increase scrutiny on the airline to see if any of the midflight incidents reveal a pattern, FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker said.
While this is conducted the FAA will pause certifications of aircraft and other functions.
“We will begin to see more of an FAA presence in our operation as they begin to review some of our work processes, manuals and facilities,” Sasha Johnson, United’s VP of corporate safety wrote in a memo to staff.
“These events have rightfully caused us to pause and evaluate whether there is anything we can and should do differently.”
The FAA said it is routine to beef up oversight when safety issues or incidents arise.
“It focuses on an airline’s compliance with regulations; ability to identify hazards, mitigate risk and effectively manage safety,” the FAA said.
