Southwest Airlines has second black eye

As if a $10.2 million fine for safety violations weren’t enough, Rep. James Oberstar’s investigation now has allegations that Southwest and the Federal Aviation Administration jointly falsified a report that said Southwest was in safety compliance.

“For them to indicate in a report that the carrier had grounded their airplanes until they finished their inspections, only for someone else to find out that they continued to fly, is a very serious situation,” said Linda Goodrich, regional vice president of Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, the union representing safety inspectors.

Transportation Secretary Mary Peters says more disciplinary penalties could be coming down the pike. Meanwhile FAA deputy associate administrator Peggy Gilligan says there’s no indication of intentional misleading on the part of any FFA inspector.

FAA supervisor Douglas T. Gawadzinski filed the reports that claimed, as he later told FAA investigators,”there was never a concern with the airworthiness of the aircraft.” That despite six of Southwest’s 737-300s having cracks as long as 3.5 inches.

If I am Southwest CEO Gary Kelly, I stop the bullshit talk now and announce a full internal investgation, with a number of people being put on leave while the investigation continues, with the promise of firings as necessary, to the full degree that corporate legal counsel allows, and a step or two beyond.