Southwest Airlines reported it is making progress in inspecting jet engines in its Boeing 737 700 and 800 fleet.
The inspections came after the failure of a jet engine that lost its cover and damaged the aircraft. One person was killed when a fragment punctured the window and pushed the victim part-way into the window as the jet lost cabin pressure.
The flight, on its way from New York LaGuardia to Dallas, made an emergency landing at Philadelphia International Airport.
“We are on track to inspect all CFM engine fan blades on the 700s and 800s within 30 days of our proactive inspection program initiated on Tuesday, April 17, 2018,” the airline reported.
Last week’s inspections affected less than one percent of our 4,000 scheduled flights each day. The airline expects one to two percent of flights to be affected over the coming days.
The inspections are taking place at times when the aircraft are not flying and the airline is using spare jets.
The FAA ordered inspections of the jet engines. However, the airline says it will go beyond the order.
The agency has been criticized for moving too slowly in ordering the inspections, despite an advisory from the engine-maker.
Southwest has a limited number of flights to and from Philadelphia but operates a hub at Baltimore-Washington International Airport with a nationwide nonstop schedule.
