Southwest Airlines is under increased scrutiny from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) following a series of near-miss incidents that have raised significant safety concerns. The FAA announced on Tuesday that it would be placing the low-cost carrier under heightened safety review to ensure compliance with federal safety regulations.
"Safety will drive the timeline," the FAA stated, emphasizing the seriousness of the situation.
This heightened oversight comes at a time of broader concerns about U.S. aviation safety, initially sparked in January when a door panel on a Boeing-manufactured aircraft blew out midair. The incident led to a criminal investigation by the Justice Department and the ouster of Boeing's leadership. United Airlines also announced an independent review of its safety measures in March following its own near-miss incidents. The U.S. Transportation Department's Office of Inspector General has been auditing the FAA's oversight of several airlines, including Southwest, in response to these concerns.
Southwest's safety issues have been particularly alarming. In April, a flight departing from Honolulu came within 400 feet of crashing into the ocean due to what appeared to be pilot error. The plane eventually landed safely, and no one was injured. This incident was followed by reports of a "Dutch roll" maneuver, causing significant rocking motion midair on a flight from Phoenix to Oakland, resulting in damage to both a backup power unit and structural components. The FAA noted that this type of issue had not been reported by other airlines.
Additionally, a Southwest flight triggered a low-altitude alert over Oklahoma City in June, and more recently, a flight from Columbus, Ohio, to Tampa dropped dramatically to just 150 feet above the water off the coast of Florida before making an emergency landing in Fort Lauderdale. Southwest stated that the crew had discontinued their planned approach into Tampa International Airport, leading to the diversion.
In response to these incidents, Southwest Airlines has stated that it is cooperating fully with the FAA. "Nothing is more important to Southwest than the safety of our customers and employees," the airline said in a statement. They have formed a new team of experts to bolster their safety management system.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, speaking with NBC News anchor Hallie Jackson, reassured the public that U.S. commercial aviation remains the safest in the world but emphasized the importance of maintaining this standard. "We've got to keep it that way," Buttigieg said, underscoring the need for rigorous safety oversight.
The FAA did not specify which particular incidents had prompted the latest audit of Southwest. However, the sequence of events over recent months has highlighted a troubling pattern of safety lapses. The near-miss in Hawaii, the Dutch roll incident, and the dramatic low-altitude flight over Florida have all contributed to a growing sense of urgency within the FAA to address these issues.
Southwest's recent challenges are part of a broader trend in the aviation industry where safety protocols are under increased scrutiny. The IT outage linked to an update of Microsoft Windows by the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, which grounded flights worldwide last week, has added to the ongoing jitters about aviation safety. Delta Air Lines, for instance, is still working to recover from the disruptions caused by this outage.
