FAA Gives United Airlines Greenlight to Continue Adding Flights

Federal regulators have given United Airlines the go-ahead to resume adding new routes and planes, according to the airline.

The airline said today that it has received notification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that it can restart those activities.

The FAA has yet to comment on the news, per Associated Press.

The update comes after a string of safety incidents occurring with United Airlines including an engine fire on a plane and a tire falling off.

United Airlines employees were made aware of the news in a memo that was distributed to staff. The memo announced “some good news.”  The memo also indicated that FAA inspectors are still reviewing the airline’s “work processes, manuals and facilities,” according to the Associated Press.

In March, the FAA stepped up its oversight of the airline on the heels of a variety of flight-related challenges. At the time, the government agency said it intended to conduct a formal evaluation of the airline to ensure compliance with safety regulations.

The Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), the union representing United pilots, said at the time that the FAA’s evaluation was type of audit that U.S. carriers undergo periodically, adding that United most recently had such an audit in 2018.

"This is an opportunity to identify the opportunities for improvement within our operation, identify changes to mitigate operational risk, and poise our airline for success by managing those changes effectively," ALPA said.

The issues leading up to the FAA’s move included a piece of aluminum skin falling from a United Airlines plane while it was en route from San Francisco to Oregon. On yet another United plane, a tire fell off after takeoff. A third plane experienced an engine fire while in Houston, Texas.

Yet another incident included pilots reporting that rudder pedals (which are needed to steer planes while on the runway). And then in an unrelated incident, a plane in Houston rolled off a taxiway.

The string of incidents did little to instill confidence in the flying public and led the airline’s CEO, Scott Kirby, to try and assure travelers that the airline is safe.

Kirby said at the time that the incidents“have our attention and have sharpened our focus.” 

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