Air Transport

Dallas-based low cost carrier Southwest Airlines has informed the US FAA it does not intend to pay a $10.2 million fine--due by 29 August--levied by the agency against the carrier in March after the airline failed to complete mandatory inspections of 46 aircraft.

FAA claims Southwest flew the planes without adhering to a September 2004 airworthiness directive requiring inspections of the aircraft fuselages for cracks.

Southwest has been in consultations with the agency, a carrier spokeswoman says, and "hopes to resolve the matter amicably with FAA".

However, she specifically states the carrier will not pay the fine by the stated deadline.

The Southwest fine triggered massive attention on oversight of carriers by FAA after issues emerged that suggested too close of a relationship between the two parties.

Shortly after the fine was issued, US Representative James Oberstar released a statement explaining the manager of regulatory compliance for Southwest at the time was a former FAA safety inspector in the US Southwest regional office until his resignation in 2006 to assume the role at Southwest.

American Airlines in the aftermath of the Southwest inspection lapse was forced to ground the majority of its MD-80 fleet and cancel more than 3,000 flights to comply with FAA regulations.