Southwest Agreed to Pay FAA for Inspector’s Time
Jan 29, 2019, 4:46 pm
#1
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Southwest Agreed to Pay FAA for Inspector’s Time
https://www.wsj.com/articles/southwe..._copyURL_share
South.west Air.lines Co. ben.e.fited from an un.usual deal with fed.eral avi.a.tion reg.u.la.tors dur.ing the re.cent par.tial gov.ern.ment shut.down: The car.rier agreed to cover the cost of briefly re.call.ing a fur.loughed safety in.spec.tor to sign off on putting three new jets into ser.vice.
South.west Air.lines Co. ben.e.fited from an un.usual deal with fed.eral avi.a.tion reg.u.la.tors dur.ing the re.cent par.tial gov.ern.ment shut.down: The car.rier agreed to cover the cost of briefly re.call.ing a fur.loughed safety in.spec.tor to sign off on putting three new jets into ser.vice.
Jan 29, 2019, 5:56 pm
#2
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W.hy a.re the.ir so many "......" in your p.ost?
Jan 29, 2019, 5:57 pm
#3
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https://www.wsj.com/articles/southwe..._copyURL_share
South.west Air.lines Co. ben.e.fited from an un.usual deal with fed.eral avi.a.tion reg.u.la.tors dur.ing the re.cent par.tial gov.ern.ment shut.down: The car.rier agreed to cover the cost of briefly re.call.ing a fur.loughed safety in.spec.tor to sign off on putting three new jets into ser.vice.
South.west Air.lines Co. ben.e.fited from an un.usual deal with fed.eral avi.a.tion reg.u.la.tors dur.ing the re.cent par.tial gov.ern.ment shut.down: The car.rier agreed to cover the cost of briefly re.call.ing a fur.loughed safety in.spec.tor to sign off on putting three new jets into ser.vice.
Jan 29, 2019, 7:25 pm
#4
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SWA reimbursed the FAA for the inspector's time. They didn't cut him a check. Nothing indicates he'll be double-paid.
FAA inspectors recalled to their jobs without pay were supposed to conduct almost exclusively oversight and other functions directly related to the agency's core safety responsibilities. The FAA and Southwest entered into a reimbursable agreement to provide minimal time to complete aircraft certification services.
Arizona paid to keep the Grand Canyon gates open during the shutdown. The Park Service was funded through state revenue. New York paid $65,000 a day to keep the Statue of Liberty open.
Jan 29, 2019, 9:31 pm
#6
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And apparently Delta offered to cut a check to the FAA to keep them working on the approval of the Airbus 220 to enter service to meet the original certification timeline, but the FAA declined that payment because it was a more complex certification situation than what Southwest had.
Jan 30, 2019, 1:22 am
#7
Join Date: Mar 2011
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Sure, why not? If anything describes how the US government functions these days it's "pay to play."
Makes me wonder why they didn't offer to pay to facilitate the ETOPS certification process, given how much the delay will ultimately cost WN.
Or maybe they did?
Makes me wonder why they didn't offer to pay to facilitate the ETOPS certification process, given how much the delay will ultimately cost WN.
Or maybe they did?
Jan 30, 2019, 5:25 am
#8
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Okay... maybe I am just slow... from the article "The carrier agreed to cover the cost of briefly recalling a furloughed safety inspector..."
What were they paying for? Where did the money go?
As I understand it, all employees - working or furloughed - will still get paid.
Color me confused.
What were they paying for? Where did the money go?
As I understand it, all employees - working or furloughed - will still get paid.
Color me confused.
Jan 30, 2019, 6:46 am
#10
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Yes, a shutdown is a "paid" vacation that the media seems to gloss over. Only the payment of wages is deferred. The taxpayers essentially pay twice for the government work. If a job is to inspect one plane per day, the taxpayers will pay for the day the inspector stayed home and the again for the day its actually done. And its not like they are going to double up efforts for the backlog without costly overtime of sorts.
Southwest is actually saving us taxpayers money since less planes to inspect will be in the backlog AND the poor inspector didn't get paid time off!
Southwest is actually saving us taxpayers money since less planes to inspect will be in the backlog AND the poor inspector didn't get paid time off!
Jan 30, 2019, 8:55 am
#11
Join Date: May 2014
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Yes, a shutdown is a "paid" vacation that the media seems to gloss over. Only the payment of wages is deferred. The taxpayers essentially pay twice for the government work. If a job is to inspect one plane per day, the taxpayers will pay for the day the inspector stayed home and the again for the day its actually done. And its not like they are going to double up efforts for the backlog without costly overtime of sorts.
Southwest is actually saving us taxpayers money since less planes to inspect will be in the backlog AND the poor inspector didn't get paid time off!
Southwest is actually saving us taxpayers money since less planes to inspect will be in the backlog AND the poor inspector didn't get paid time off!
Jan 30, 2019, 9:40 am
#12
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It varies widely, and to think the poster was "dickish" might be a jump. Nor can one assume every federal employee was hurt either.
What makes no sense is that SWest paid somebody or some agency to do their job. Nuts.
Jan 30, 2019, 9:55 am
#13
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Not sure if the poster was really meaning anything bad. For some people, they still worked, and as you mentioned, they may have been working harder than normal. Some were on "vacation", but only able to afford to stay home financially. Others have enough in savings and were able to actually vacation.
It varies widely, and to think the poster was "dickish" might be a jump. Nor can one assume every federal employee was hurt either.
What makes no sense is that SWest paid somebody or some agency to do their job. Nuts.
It varies widely, and to think the poster was "dickish" might be a jump. Nor can one assume every federal employee was hurt either.
What makes no sense is that SWest paid somebody or some agency to do their job. Nuts.
My other half was briefly furloughed, and while we were comfortable financially, it's not like we were able to go out of town. Could be recalled at any minute, but hearing crazy talk of months or years... The term vacation isn't even close.
Jan 30, 2019, 10:18 am
#14
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What's nuts is implying SWA cut a personal check to an inspector who pocketed the money and will be paid twice. About 14,000 of the FAAs 45,000 employees were furloughed; the rest (inspectors and engineers) were essential and reported to work.
Jan 30, 2019, 10:40 am
#15
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Makes perfect sense. The airline wins, and taxpayers lose nothing.
What's nuts is implying SWA cut a personal check to an inspector who pocketed the money and will be paid twice. About 14,000 of the FAAs 45,000 employees were furloughed; the rest (inspectors and engineers) were essential and reported to work.
What's nuts is implying SWA cut a personal check to an inspector who pocketed the money and will be paid twice. About 14,000 of the FAAs 45,000 employees were furloughed; the rest (inspectors and engineers) were essential and reported to work.
The whole thing defies logic. Even shutting down the government defies logic. As mentioned, plenty still went to work anyways. (my tongue is now bleeding as I work hard not to get political)
Still - just trying to figure this out. Normally, the FAA inspects planes and deems them airworthy. Inspectors not available due to "shutdown". But, somehow a check makes it happen. The worker still did not get paid. Eventually the FAA gets the federal funding to be operational. Eventually they pay the worker.
Where does that check from SWest go?