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By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration is increasing oversight of United Airlines to ensure the airline’s compliance with safety standards, the agency said on Saturday, following a series of safety incidents.
The FAA will begin a formal evaluation to ensure that the Chicago-based airline “meets safety standards; identifies hazards and mitigates risks; and effectively manages safety,” it said in a statement to Reuters.
“In-process certification activities may be allowed to continue, but future projects may be delayed based on oversight findings.”
United declined to comment.
A source confirmed a Bloomberg News report that the FAA may not approve allowing customers to travel on United’s new planes or new routes. The FAA declined to comment.
United said Friday that the FAA would increase scrutiny of the airline after more than a half-dozen safety incidents in recent weeks.
A United plane was missing an external panel when it landed in Oregon, prompting an FAA investigation. A Boeing 737 MAX from its fleet rolled onto the grass in Houston. A Boeing 777-200 operated by United bound for Japan lost a tire after taking off from San Francisco and was diverted to Los Angeles, where it landed safely.
United vice president of corporate security Sasha Johnson said in a memo Friday that over the coming weeks employees will see an increased FAA presence “in our operations as they begin to review some of our work processes, manuals and facilities”. “
The incidents “have rightly caused us to pause and evaluate whether there is anything we can and should do differently,” Johnson’s memo said, adding that the airline appreciated the FAA’s input.
On Tuesday, FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker told Reuters the agency would look at United more closely after the recent incidents, and said United CEO Scott Kirby “knows we’re going to collaborate a little bit.” more closely with them as we investigate them.
(Reporting by David Shepardson in Washington and Mrinmay Dey in Bengaluru; Editing by Richard Chang)