Southwest receives warning from FAA to repair its relationship with people repairing their planes – CBS Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – The FAA is asking Southwest Airlines to repair their relationship with the people who repair their aircraft.

Sara Donchey of KCAL9 reported to LAX the ongoing conflict between the company and its mechanics.

The struggle between Southwest and the mechanics' union has been raging for some time, but the FAA is now involved.

The FAA maintains that fighting – bitter and very public – could be bad news for passenger safety.

Southwest sued their mechanics, claiming that they were unnecessarily putting planes out of service to help them gain a benefit in their ongoing contractual dispute. But the union of mechanics says that Southwest ignores the major safety problems of its aircraft.

Dozens of southwestern flights have been delayed or canceled after an unprecedented number of aircraft were decommissioned for repairs.

This is a disturbing practice for some frequent travelers.

Suzanne Motley, a Southwest customer, says, "This is very disturbing. I go to Los Angeles about once a month to visit my parents, which is very common. This gives the impression that if something is wrong, it increases my chances of being affected by it. "

The FAA is no longer on the sidelines. Tonight, they entered the fray with a stern warning. They tell both parties that they have to agree otherwise they risk endangering the passengers.

The FAA letter said:
"A break in the relationship between the airline and the mechanics' union raises concerns about the current effectiveness of the airline's safety management system."

"I want to feel that I trust the planes I'm flying in. That makes me very worried," Motley said.

Donchey spoke to another traveler who said that safety was also a concern – but he trusted the airline.

"Of course, I mean, I still think about it – it just goes through the right spirit of flying. But I trust them. I trust them 100%, "said Byron Payne, a Southwest customer.

The FAA wishes to point out that it is not taking part in the dispute between Southwest and the mechanics. But they said they were monitoring the airline more closely and intensifying their surveillance as the fight raged.