The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) told the American Airlines bankruptcy court that it might seek penalties of up to $156.5 million for safety breaches, reports USA Today.
Certainly, any safety breaches serious enough to warrant big fines are potentially troublesome to travelers. But the FAA didn’t specify any of the individual claims, so nobody can tell exactly how serious they might be. And for now, that $156.5 million figure is something of a place marker, filed in advance of the pending cutoff date for claims filing, to make sure that the FAA can remain in on the action as the case proceeds.
Potential passengers should take some comfort in the fact that many safety fines are based on paperwork problems rather than actual physical problems, and that they are often negotiated down to low levels as long as an airline promises to take corrective action. Regardless of the bankruptcy provisions, the FAA would have grounded the airline or some of its planes rather than assess fines had the safety violations been truly critical.
American’s current and potential passengers should certainly be aware of the problem, but they should also note that the FAA issued only notices of future fines rather than calls for immediate action.
You Might Also Like:
We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.
Related
Top Fares From
Today's Top Travel Deals
Brought to you by ShermansTravel
Kenya: 14-Night Tour, Incl. Tanzania &...
smarTours
vacation $7125+7-Night Caribbean Round-Trip Cruise From Orlando:...
Norwegian Cruise Line
cruise $739+Ohio: Daily Car Rentals from Cincinnati
85OFF.com
Car Rental $19+