Southwest To Pay USD$2.8 Mln To Settle Safety Allegations

Southwest Airlines has agreed to pay USD$2.8 million to settle a lawsuit involving allegations that it violated US Federal Aviation Administration safety regulations.

The settlement requires operational changes by Southwest designed to enhance its oversight of third parties that perform maintenance on Southwest aircraft, the Justice Department said in a statement.

In addition to the USD$2.8 million civil penalty, Southwest has agreed to pay up to USD$5.5 million in deferred civil penalties if it does not implement the settlement agreement, the statement said.