While we have read a great deal of inflammatory stuff here, the mis-characterization of what has happened, both in the press and in "blogs," is stunning.
Southwest *could* have "pencil-whipped" its maintenance records, reflecting on paper compliance with inspection requirements- but half-measures are not in Southwest's business practices. They found it, and they self-reported.
Of greatest consequence, of course, is flight safety, and in this, Southwest has proven it is the best, without peer, in the history of scheduled air carriers. Note well: safety and reliable dispatch are linked at the hip, and Southwest's proactive maintenance policies are models for the industry, worldwide. They don't fly dangerous aircraft, for the simple reason that there is no motive to do so, and every motive not to.
In addition, of course, Southwest's corporate culture rewards best practices- if any pilot, mechanic or dispatcher had ever had cause to believe an aircraft was in any way unsafe, that plane would not have flown.
The Internet allows "posters" a great deal of freedom, through anonymity; from the volume of vitriol I see spewed here, I imagine a pretty good number of the negative postings we are seeing here are by teen-aged fanboys of other carriers, or maybe even actual employees of other carriers. I write as a pilot (non-professional) and frequent user of airlines, including Southwest, and I have reasonable knowledge of how SWA operates. My confidence in Southwest and, most importantly, in the professionalism and commitment of its people (and the freedom those people are given, by the company, to conduct safe operations) remains unshaken, and I will fly them anytime, without hesitation.
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