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FAA Files Lawsuit Against Southwest, Southwest Looks Forward to Challenge

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The FAA is suing Southwest over penalties it wants to collect for the airline’s failure to properly repair 44 aircraft.

Southwest Airlines is at a standoff with the federal government over $12 million in civil penalties the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) levied against the carrier for failure to make proper repairs on its aircraft.

On Monday, the Justice Department filed suit in federal district court against Southwest, seeking to collect penalties announced in late July, according to a report from the Dallas Morning News. The penalty is the second largest ever sought by the FAA, trailing behind a $24.2 million fine levied against American Airlines in 2010.

The FAA alleges that in 2006, Southwest contracted Aviation Technical Services to make repairs to 44 airplanes in order to prevent the aluminum skin from cracking. Working under Southwest’s supervision, the contractors failed to complete the repairs properly, thereby creating an opportunity for moisture to enter through gaps and cause cause corrosion.

According to the Dallas Morning News, airlines usually negotiate with the FAA to reduce penalties. For example, the FAA fined Southwest $10.2 million in 2008, but settled the case a year later for $7.5 million.

Chris Mainz, a spokesman for Southwest, sent an email to FlyerTalk denying the FAA’s charges. “We dispute the FAA’s allegations and look forward to the opportunity to vigorously defend Southwest’s record in a court of law,” Mainz wrote.

[Photo: Southwest Airlines]

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