I'm very disturbed by allegations relating to Southwest's maintenance program and inspections. CNN's story about wistleblowers alleging that Southwest requested that a specific government inspector be reassigned (http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/04/02/southwest.faa.inspection/index.html) is particularly disturbing.
I am very, very uncomfortable about flying yet I do so regularly for my work in Texas. Southwest has always been my first choice in flying because until that incident in Chicago, the airline had never had a fatality. I originally attributed this to Southwest's commitment to quality and safety. With the latest allegations, I wonder whether it would be more appropriate to attribute Southwest's safety record to luck.
It is time for Southwest's "Tylenol Moment." Southwest needs to get out in front, say "We screwed up; we took our eye off the ball, forgetting that our greatest assets are our employees and our customers (particularly their trust and loyalty). In a time where the airline industry is facing unprecedented challenges due to fuel prices, we cannot allow ourselves to forget our core values and responsibilities. We deeply regret this episode but will work to ensure that we learn from it and are thankful that no one was injured as a result of this lapse. Southwest is committed to providing high quality service at reasonable prices and safety is an important part of that service."
Now get out there and say it. Stop saying "Yes, planes went out without inspections but no one was at risk and no one got hurt so don't worry about it." If a person shoots a gun in the air and it doesn't kill anyone when it comes back down, that doesn't excuse the person who fired the gun recklessly.
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