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US aviation authorities blasted for airline safety oversight
The US’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is taking increased flak for its oversight of airlines, according to various sources.
Both Dept. of Transportation Inspector General Calvin Scovel and a House of Representatives committee detailed “cosy” relationships between inspectors and airlines.
The two sources also cited pervasive “disfunction” and “regulatory abuse” at a regional office and “a disconnect” between its Washington headquarters and day-to-day field operations.
Associate administrator-aviation safety Nicholas Sabatini conceded at a House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee hearing that the agency’s “customer service initiative” and “voluntary disclosure” programme were interpreted in an “unacceptable” way at its Dallas office.
Inspectors were accused of “lax oversight†of Southwest Airlines.
“The events at Southwest Airlines and the actions of inspectors represent a serious breakdown,” Scovel said.
“I’m here to report that more than one FAA inspector looked the other way for years,†Bobby Boutris, an inspector, told the House panel.
Meanwhile, the Business Travel Coalition (BTC) published survey results regarding aircraft maintenance, outsourcing and FAA oversight that show a deepening concern over the safety of US airlines.
“Against recent FAA and airline industry safety revelations, passengers are less willing to fly, have skipped recent flights and plan to avoid air travel in the future,†said BTC.
â€Concern regarding passenger safety and homeland security is driving a strong desire for additional maintenance-related consumer information to assist passengers in choosing an airline on which to travel,†the agency added.
By : David Wilkening
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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