United Airlines says FAA will 'begin to review' some operations following safety incidents

By Bill Peters

'The number of safety-related events in recent weeks have rightfully caused us to pause and evaluate whether there is anything we can and should do differently,' memo says

United Airlines Holdings Inc. on Friday said that the Federal Aviation Administration would begin to review some of the airline's operations, following a string of safety mishaps with the carrier.

United (UAL) made the announcement after several incidents at the airline in recent days - including a tire that fell off a jet, an engine fire on another, and a missing panel on another - and as jet-maker Boeing Co. (BA) faces deeper scrutiny over its production standards and culture.

Sasha Johnson, United's vice president of corporate safety, said in a memo that "the number of safety-related events in recent weeks have rightfully caused us to pause and evaluate whether there is anything we can and should do differently."

She said the carrier had increased its interactions with the FAA recently, and the agency needed to look further into multiple aspects of its operations.

The memo added: "Over the next several weeks, we will begin to see more of an FAA presence in our operation as they begin to review some of our work processes, manuals and facilities. We welcome their engagement and are very open to hear from them about what they find and their perspective on things we may need to change to make us even safer."

It also said the FAA would pause "a variety of certification activities for a period of time."

The news was reported earlier by the Wall Street Journal. United declined to comment beyond the details offered in the memo.

According to a New York Times tally on Monday, United has dealt with eight flight-related safety incidents over the past two weeks. No one was reported as injured in those incidents. But those incidents have occurred in the wake of a door-plug blowout on a Boeing 737 Max jet flown by Alaska Airlines in January, which has led to heightened attention to flight safety.

"The FAA's safety assurance system routinely monitors all aspects of an airline's operation," the FAA said in an emailed statement. "It focuses on an airline's compliance with applicable regulations; ability to identify hazards, assess and mitigate risk; and effectively manage safety."

Shares of United were down 0.7% after hours.

Earlier this week, United Airlines Chief Executive Scott Kirby sought to assuage travelers.

"Unfortunately, in the past few weeks, our airline has experienced a number of incidents that are reminders of the importance of safety," he said in a memo, according to the Associated Press. "While they are all unrelated, I want you to know that these incidents have our attention and have sharpened our focus."

-Bill Peters

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03-22-24 1855ET

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