FAA Confirms United Airlines Suspension Still in Place Following Recent Safety Incidents
The FAA is currently working to ensure United remains compliant with safety regulations in light of several incidents, including an engine fire, that occurred earlier this year.
United Airlines claimed that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has allowed them to introduce new planes and routes following recent incidents, but the FAA refuted this statement in a May 16 announcement to The Epoch Times.
In March, the FAA launched a formal assessment of United to verify the airline’s adherence to safety regulations, hazard identification, risk mitigation, and safety management, particularly after multiple accidents such as an engine fire and a tire detachment during takeoff.
“The FAA has not granted approval for expanding United Airlines’ routes or fleets. The ongoing Certificate Holder Evaluation Program for United will be driven by safety considerations to determine the completion timeline,” clarified the FAA.
The FAA also specified that agency personnel must be present during United’s final inspections of any newly acquired aircraft replacing older models.
United Airlines did not provide a statement before the press deadline.
The company communicated internally to employees on Thursday, conveying some “good news” regarding their progress.
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“Following a thorough review and discussions on the proactive safety measures taken by United so far, our FAA Certificate Management Office has given us the green light to recommence our certification activities, including new aircraft and routes. We will maintain close coordination with the FAA,” stated the United memo.
One incident that triggered the FAA review involved an older Boeing 737-800 that arrived at Rogue Valley International-Medford Airport in Oregon missing an aluminum panel on March 15. The flight originated from San Francisco and landed safely before the missing panel was noticed during a post-flight inspection.
Another incident on March 7 involved a United flight departing from San Francisco bound for Japan, which lost one of the six tires on its left-side main landing gear just after takeoff. The pilots safely landed in Los Angeles without any injuries.
Engine Fire
Three days prior to that incident, a United flight from Houston to Fort Myers, Texas, had to turn back after one of its engines caught fire mid-flight. Passengers captured video of the flames from the engine, but no injuries were reported.
During a February arrival in Newark, New Jersey, a plane experienced issues with its rudder pedals, used for steering on the runway, during landing. Fortunately, there were no injuries. The aircraft involved was a Boeing 737 Max 8, the same model involved in fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019.
The 737 Max 9 model was implicated in a mid-flight door panel blowout on an Alaska Airlines flight on Jan. 5.
On March 8, passengers were evacuated from a United flight after it rolled off a runway in Houston and got stuck in the grass. Fortunately, all 160 passengers and six crew members were unharmed.
United CEO Scott Kirby assured customers that the incidents were unrelated and emphasized the airline’s commitment to safety.
“Regrettably, our airline has encountered several incidents recently that underscore the importance of safety,” Kirby wrote in a March 15 memo to customers. “Though these incidents are not connected, I want to assure you that they have our full attention and have refocused our efforts on safety.”
Kirby added that United would assess each incident independently to determine if any safety procedures or training adjustments were necessary.
At that time, the FAA indicated that its evaluation would ensure United’s adherence to safety regulations and guidelines while identifying potential risks.
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
