Some airlines didn't comply with safety orders

September 6, 2008

WASHINGTON - Federal aviation officials said yesterday that they are investigating 17 cases in which 11 air carriers did not comply with government safety directives.

The cases were uncovered during an effort by the Federal Aviation Administration to verify whether air carriers follow the agency's safety orders as required.

The first phase of the inquiry this spring found seven instances in which four carriers had not complied with safety orders. FAA officials declined to identify the carriers and said they did not know whether some of the new cases involve carriers already under investigation.

The inquiries were announced by FAA administrator Robert Sturgell, who said 98 percent of the 5,600 directives audited by the agency had been followed by the carriers. He said the relatively few cases in which safety directives weren't followed indicates there is a high level of safety in the U.S. air traffic system. He noted that the U.S. hasn't experienced a major airline accident in over two years.