FAA Clears Southwest Airlines After Safety Review

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration completed a safety review of Southwest Airlines, initiated after several incidents, confirming no significant safety issues. This review followed low-altitude flights and other concerns. Southwest emphasized its commitment to safety, planning safety discussions with pilots through 2025.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration announced Wednesday the completion of its comprehensive safety review of Southwest Airlines, sparked by a series of concerning incidents, including low-altitude flights. Despite the intensity of the investigations, the FAA reported finding no significant safety issues within the airline's operations.

Southwest Airlines expressed gratitude for the opportunity to collaborate with the FAA, reiterating its unwavering commitment to safety. The review began in July, following an incident where a plane flew perilously low over Tampa Bay, Florida, thereby raising serious safety questions.

Further incidents in April and May, including near incidents over Hawaii and an in-flight 'Dutch roll' maneuver, drew FAA and NTSB scrutiny. Notably, a June incident involved a flight taking off from a closed runway in Portland, Maine. In response, Southwest has scheduled ongoing safety discussions for pilots, promoting transparent peer discussions through early 2025.

(With inputs from agencies.)