The Federal Aviation Administration is proposing a hefty fine against Southwest Airlines after an investigation concluded the carrier had faulty weight and balance information.
The agency wants to bang the Dallas-based airline with a $3.92 million fine after concluding that Southwest operated 44 planes that flew more than 21,000 flights between May 1 and Aug. 9, 2018, with incorrect baseline weights, according to USA Today.
Starting weights are important so that airlines can determine everything from how much fuel to load the plane with and how luggage and cargo are placed.
Trending Now
Southwest has 30 days to respond to the FAA but it is allowed to negotiate a fine amount more advantageous to the airline.
Southwest spokesman Brian Parrish told USA Today that the proposed penalty stems from data processing issues that occurred when Southwest was switching computer systems in the spring of 2018.
Southwest apparently self-reported ‘record-keeping issues’ to the FAA in July of 2018 and resolved them in August 2018.
Southwest now scans bags, as virtually every other airline does, instead of its former policy of manually counting bags.
Major US airlines are lobbying the Trump administration to reject China’s proposal to add more…
A federal proposal that could eliminate meal breaks for pilots and flight attendants is facing…
Breeze Airways formally petitioned the Federal Aviation Administration to prevent major U.S. airlines from acquiring…
An American Airlines passenger duct-taped to his seat claims he has no recollection of his…
What if the medication that’s supposed to save your life is actually putting you at…
A proposed class-action lawsuit has been filed against JetBlue Airways, alleging that a passenger paid…