Airlines Ground Thousands of Flights Due to Maintenance Issues
Posted on April 10, 2008
Filed Under GENERAL, IN THE NEWS
This week, airlines, led by American Airlines, have grounded over 1,000 flights due to airliners not meeting FAA inspection standards. See article here. Apparently, the FAA issued a directive some time ago that a wiring bundle at the fuel pump must be secured in such a way that the wires don’t move, and therefore can’t rub through, causing an electrical short or fire. Not unlike airhoses on a truck rubbing together, causing an airleak. This has to be costing these airlines tens of millions of dollars, but they only have themselves to blame. When money is tight, one of the first things to go is safety. Right after paying your creditors, but that’s the topic of another rant.
I note that my favorite airline, Southwest, is not being forced to cancel flights. I don’t know what goes on behind the scenes at Southwest, and for all I know, their planes are held together with duct tape, and the only reason they got by the FAA is because they paid them off, but I love that airline. They charge a rate usually cheaper than the American United, Delta, etc. They’re on time. Their employees are not surly and unpleasant. In short, they do what they say they will do. Every time I fly with one of the other airlines, without fail, I regret it. They’re late, they cancel flights (see above), they lose luggage, they suck.
I strive to be the Southwest in my little business corner of the world. As I am discovering with all the various vendors I deal with, finding somebody to give you reliable service is hit-or-miss at best. People promise, but don’t deliver, don’t answer the phone, don’t return phone calls, don’t stand behind their work, you name it. All this, I take for granted, because I do it, without fail. Maybe I’ll start selling that part of my service a little harder, sounds stupid, but God knows, nobody else does it seemingly, ‘ARNOLD SAFETY CONSULTING…. WE RETURN PHONE CALLS!”
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