FAA reviewing Southwest after close calls

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is increasing its oversight over Southwest Airlines after a series of recent close calls and other incidents.

In recent months, the airline has dealt with several safety incidents, including flights that have descended to a low altitude too early, The Associated Press reported.

In an emailed statement to The Hill, Southwest said it is working closely with the FAA to review the recent events.

The airline said it has a safety program that includes “FAA-Accepted Safety Management System (SMS)” that helps the company “manage and mitigate operational risks and execute safe” practices.

“We recently formed a dedicated team of subject-matter experts and leaders from Southwest, our union partners, and the FAA to bolster our existing SMS,” Southwest said. “This group is tasked with performing an in-depth, data-driven analysis to identify any opportunities for improvement.”

The airline said nothing is more important than the safety of its customers and employees.

The FAA declined to provide specifics about its plans, but said it has “increased oversight of Southwest Airlines to ensure it is complying with federal safety regulations through the Certificate Holder Evaluation Process.”

“Safety will drive the timeline,” the agency said.

Twice within recent weeks, a Southwest flight has flown unusually low while miles away from an airport. The incidents happened in Oklahoma and Florida. In Maine, a Southwest plane took off from a closed runway.

In April, a Southwest flight dropped rapidly over the coast of Hawaii and came within 400 feet of the ocean. In May, a Southwest plan fell into a “Dutch roll,” a dangerous oscillating motion that can be difficult to recover from.

The incidents and the oversight from the FAA come as airlines across the country have increased scrutiny after a door panel blew off an Alaska Airlines plane mid-flight in January.