United Airlines Boeing large body 777-200 airplane as seen throughout remove and flying stage, passing in front of the air traffic control service tower while the airplane is leaving from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport AMS towards Houston IAH in the United States of America as flight UA21
Nicolas Economou|Nurphoto|Getty Images
The Federal Aviation Administration stated Monday it is proposing a more than $1.1 million charge versus United Airlines for supposedly stopping working to carry out necessary fire system security examine its Boeing 777 s.
The FAA declared that in 2018 United eliminated a fire system alerting check from a preflight list and run 102,488 Boeing 777 flights from June 2018 to April 2021 without ensuring they remained in an airworthy condition “properly maintained for operation,” according to a letter from the FAA on Monday to United’s CEO, ScottKirby CNBC saw the letter.
“The safety of our flights was never in question,” United stated in a declaration.
The provider stated that it altered its preflight list in 2018 “to account for redundant built-in checks performed automatically by the 777” and stated that was examined and authorized by the FAA at the time.
“In 2021, the FAA informed United that United’s maintenance program called for the pre-flight check by pilots,” the airline company stated in a declaration. “Once confirmed, United immediately updated its procedures.”
United stated it will evaluate the proposed fine.
“The inspection is required in the maintenance specifications manual. Removal of the check resulted in United’s failure to perform the required check and the operation of aircraft that did not meet airworthiness requirement,” the FAA stated in a declaration.
United had 96 Boeing 777 s since completion of 2021, comprising about 11% of its overall fleet, according to a securities filing.
