American Airlines today said it cancelled about 200 flights as it inspects its MD-80 fleet amid a Federal Aviation Administration audit of airlines maintenance records.
American said it would take "several hours" to inspect each aircraft, but said it already has returned some to service and expects to gradually fold the rest of its MD-80 fleet back into service today.
"During the audit of American Airlines, a joint team of AA and FAA inspectors raised questions regarding an already accomplished directive concerning how a certain bundle of wires is secured to the MD-80 aircraft," American said in a statement today.
FAA last week directed aviation inspectors to confirm that commercial airlines are operating in compliance with airworthiness directives, after Southwest Airlines temporarily removed 38 aircraft from service amid FAA allegations that the carrier failed to complete necessary inspections
(BTNonline, March 12). FAA acting administrator Robert Sturgell in a statement last week said he expected the initial review of all domestic carriers to be completed by the end of this week, and a full audit completed no later than June 30.