Fly South West much?

[SelmaBamaFan]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/031308dnbussouthwestjets.492e3dea.html?npc



Southwest Airlines said it has grounded 44 of its Boeing jets to inspect for possible structural damage.

The airline’s decision comes as it faces regulatory and congressional investigations into its decision last year to keep flying 46 jets that required safety inspections for fuselage damage. The FAA has proposed a record $10.2 million fine for those violations.

:eek:

[dw17]

So they're just grounding them to do the inspections. Doesn't mean they're damaged. I hope not, I love flying Southwest. It's fun to watch the boarding pandemonium. I WAS IN LINE A FIRST!

[sooner_born_1960]

Who are the lucky people that get to fly on the two they decided not to inspect? (46 - 44 = 2)

[SelmaBamaFan]

So they're just grounding them to do the inspections. Doesn't mean they're damaged. I hope not, I love flying Southwest. It's fun to watch the boarding pandemonium. I WAS IN LINE A FIRST!

Doesnt meant they're damaged, but it means its been almost a year since they were supposed to get inspected.

[SoonerInKCMO]

Regarding the previous issue with the 46 planes...

Southwest Airlines: We take Safety Seriously

You may have heard that Southwest Airlines was fined by the FAA regarding recent aircraft inspections. First and foremost, we want to assure you this was never and is not a safety of flight issue.

From our inception, Southwest Airlines has maintained a rigorous Culture of Safety—and has maintained that same dedication for more than 37 years. It is and always has been our number one priority to ensure the Safety of every Southwest Customer and Employee. “We’ve got a 37-year history of very safe operations, one of the safest operations in the world, and we’re safer today than we’ve ever been,” said Southwest CEO Gary Kelly.

Receipt of the FAA letter of penalty gives us the chance to present the facts which we feel will support our actions taken in March 2007. The FAA penalty is related to one of many routine inspections on our aircraft fleet involving an extremely small area in one of the many overlapping inspections. These inspections were designed to detect early signs of skin cracking.

Southwest Airlines discovered the missed inspection area, disclosed it to the FAA, and promptly reinspected all potentially affected aircraft in March 2007. The FAA approved our actions and considered the matter closed as of April 2007.


The Boeing Company has stated its support of Southwest's aggressive compliance plan. Southwest acted responsibly and the safety of the fleet was not compromised, Boeing said.
Former National Transportation Safety Board Inspector-in-Charge Greg Feith said after a review of the available data and information that it’s apparent that there was no risk to the flying public in March 2007 while Southwest Airlines performed their program to re-inspect the small area of aircraft fuselages identified.

Southwest consistently maintains a Leadership role in developing maintenance programs for the Boeing 737 aircraft.

[soonerbrat]

great. i'm flying southwest tomorrow & sunday

[SoonerInKCMO]

Twinsies!

[dw17]

Cool. Remember to take a small child and then you can preboard Billy Zane/Titanic style.

[SoonerInKCMO]

I usually check my kids. Cheaper.

[soonerbrat]

Cool. Remember to take a small child and then you can preboard Billy Zane/Titanic style.

i'd rather die than take a small child anywhere.

besides, i'm a wimmen. I get to go first anyway

[dw17]

I usually check my kids. Cheaper.
Think of thier ticket as a preboard fee.

[dw17]

i'd rather die than take a small child anywhere.

besides, i'm a wimmen. I get to go first anyway
Billy Zane style would mean you use the small child who isn't yours to board and then pass it off to another passenger.

You would, in that case, be saving her life. So you've got that going for you.

[SoonerInKCMO]

great. i'm flying southwest tomorrow & sunday

:les: REMEMBER TO CHECK IN AND PRINT YOUR BOARDING PASS ON-LINE TODAY!!

[soonerbrat]

i have to print something? i printed out my itinerary, but i think i still have to check in when I get there, right? i don't fly southwest very often.

[SelmaBamaFan]

Most airlines let you actually check in online, then all you have to do is drop off your bags and head to security. You can print out your boarding pass from home.

[dw17]

You really just need your check in number. When you get there you go to a little kiosk and enter that number. You can then print your boarding pass if you need to and say how many bags you have to check. then you go drop your bags at the counter and get your bag receipts.

When you get to the gate you have three gate lines, A, B, C. A goes first, then B, then (guess what) C. You just sit in any open seat when you get on the plane. It's a beautiful system. I love it.

And the crackers are shaped like little planes.

[SelmaBamaFan]

Boarding a SW plane is like herding cattle. I hate it (Because I always end up in the C line).

[shaun4411]

i hate going twosies in a boeing 737 plane.

[crawfish]

great. i'm flying southwest tomorrow & sunday

If you die, can I have your spek? ;)

[soonerbrat]

If you die, can I have your spek? ;)


i'm leaving it to chickie

[mdklatt]

Southwest consulted with Boeing about delaying the inspections.

http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/BoeingDefendsSouthwest_197323-1.html


Boeing is leaping to the defense of its biggest customer, issuing a statement saying it agreed with Southwest Airlines’ plan to continue flying 46 older 737s that hadn’t been inspected for specific fatigue cracks. “In Boeing's opinion, the safety of the Southwest fleet was not compromised,” Boeing said in a statement released late Thursday

I don't supposed the media has bothered to mention that?

[SoonerInKCMO]

Boarding a SW plane is like herding cattle. I hate it (Because I always end up in the C line).

Not anymore it isn't. Everyone has a number that tells them what order to be in line.

Brat - if it's within 24 hours of your flight, you can check in on-line and get assigned a boarding pass. You can either print it then or re-print it at a kiosk at the airport. If you do it right at the beginning of the 24-hour window, you'll get a low number and get to board earlier.

[crawfish]

i'm leaving it to chickie

:(

[soonerbrat]

:(



OK, you can have 10 %

[StoopTroup]

They have all been inspected now.

They did find 6 jets with cracks upon re-inspection.

So...Boeing coming in and saying the safety of the fleet really is mute IMO.

The thing is...those checks are done at the specified intervals as a safety precaution. They set that as a directive. If you go outside the directive, you can use Boeings help to get the FAA to assist you in extending the check, but you can't just do it because Boeing thought it would be OK.

SWA will end up paying the 10 million is my guess.

[nmsoonergirl]

Cool. Remember to take a small child and then you can preboard Billy Zane/Titanic style.

Not anymore to that as well. Families with small children board after the A group.

The new boarding procedure with assigned places is MUCH MUCH nicer than the old cattle call thing. I actually kind of LIKE flying SW now, where as before it was miserable.

[dw17]

They changed it? Aww, man. Get online right at the 24 hour mark, now. :D

[Chuck Bao]

I knew it was bound to happen, but not this soon.

With the sliding dollar, the US has already become a third world, fly-by-the-grace-of-God nation.

[dw17]

Surely the third worlders don't have crackers shaped like planes. That's worth a bunch.