Southwest Airlines Faces FAA Review After Recent Incidents

Southwest Airlines (LUV) is facing a safety review from the Federal Aviation Administration, the company confirmed Tuesday, following a series of incidents in recent months. 

An FAA spokesperson said the agency has “increased oversight of Southwest Airlines to ensure it is complying with federal safety regulations. The carrier “is working closely with the [FAA] in the review of recent events,” a spokesperson for the airline said Tuesday.

Southwest “recently formed a dedicated team of subject-matter experts and leaders” that includes members from Southwest, the airline’s union partners and the FAA, its spokesperson said. The group is “tasked with performing an in-depth, data-driven analysis to identify any opportunities for improvement.”

On July 14, a Southwest flight to Tampa dropped as low as 150 feet above water about 5 miles from its intended destination, according to Flightradar24. The plane landed in Ft. Lauderdale.

That incident came about a month after a Southwest flight from Phoenix to Oakland experienced a so-called “Dutch roll,” which causes the aircraft to roll side-to-side while also wagging its tail, prompting an investigation from National Transportation Safety Board, according to a Reuters report.

“Safety will drive the timeline” of the review, the FAA spokesperson said. Shares of Southwest fell 1.7% on Tuesday as the S&P 500 ticked lower. The company is set to report its latest financial results later this week.