United Airlines under FAA’s close scrutiny After safety incidents

United Airlines is set to undergo heightened scrutiny from the Federal Aviation Administration (F.A.A.) following a series of safety incidents, according to an internal memo circulated to employees on Friday. Sasha Johnson, a vice president of corporate safety at the airline, outlined in the memo that the F.A.A. will intensify its oversight of United’s operations in the coming weeks, delving into various aspects such as work processes, manuals, and facilities.

The incidents in question, which United asserts are unrelated, include a plane veering off a runway, another arriving at its destination with a missing body panel, a third experiencing tyre loss post-takeoff, and an engine catching fire due to ingesting plastic wrapping. While the F.A.A. emphasised its routine monitoring of airline operations, focusing on compliance with regulations, risk assessment, and safety management, United anticipates a temporary pause in certain certification activities as indicated in the memo.

United’s CEO, Scott Kirby, reassured customers of the airline’s commitment to safety, acknowledging the incidents and pledging a thorough review to enhance safety training and procedures across all employee sectors. However, aviation experts caution against drawing overarching conclusions from these events, noting their commonality in the industry and the tendency for many incidents to go unreported by the media.