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FAA investigating loose seats on American Airlines jets

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    What are the ramifications of situation?

  • Duration 6:12
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American Airlines grounding eight of its jets after a row of passenger seats came loose.

And three recent flights this has happened over the last couple days the airline says -- seats were not properly locked in to tracks on the floor they're 750 sevens.

Airline is already under some pressure as he gets ready to lay off thousands of workers as part of -- bankruptcy plan take a lesson.

American Airlines operates the oldest -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- not just pilots can write up an aircraft right now of the American Airlines.

-- -- several thousand.

Entire maintenance -- So now you have very.

-- it's too -- to know exactly what happened but the FAA is investigating in and we wanted to do a little reporting ourselves jungle -- as a former member of the National Transportation Safety Board is also -- a former airline mechanic also joining us on the phone is rob -- -- a commercial pilot he also edits.

An industry wide blog covers everything that's happening an airline industry called jet wine dot com.

But first CU giant as a mechanic a former mechanic have you ever heard of this happening before me just for context and as this happened.

When you've been working.

Yes it has happened before seats usually -- get written numbers out rocking.

In the tracks they don't come loose.

As such but they wiggle and then the flight attendants so -- I usually tell look for when they'll write them up.

But -- have them come -- is very very unusual and it's very very unsafe.

Sit down one of the things that we're actually looking at with some live pictures just came -- from Logan Airport in Boston.

American Airlines employees are checking seats and two aircrafts now.

You see it's that you know it's very dangerous.

What what could happen if your if your seat comes loose during a flight.

Wallace who would be the same as having a bastion his sitting there what -- what I was seat belt and turbulence.

That passenger becomes the idea.

Of flying object in the cabin.

And that I might add that that's also the same thing that happens to children and I'm not in their own seat.

In turbulence -- a mother is only her child.

On the two years old and -- lap and he hit turbulence that child becomes a flying object in the group in the cabin and that we -- have.

Other passengers injured because you have a ten pound object.

Bounced on inside the cabin.

That's a scary -- as he -- taken some of these.

I live pictures rob you know what -- the questions we have and that's why I asked John about whether or not he's ever heard of this happening before this he's actually.

Coming -- -- is as whether or not this is a problem because.

-- -- are flying around planes that are older.

Or or it's a problem specific to American Airlines and something to do with their maintenance rob what are your thoughts on that.

Well having lived through an airline bankruptcy when I -- from midway I can just tell you that.

When a bankruptcy happens things fall through the cracks I I've not going to you know get the -- people let him go -- this.

-- really you know one incident like air that we've seen here but.

The problem is is that things just fall through the cracks and -- -- I mentioned to -- somebody earlier we don't know what kind of pressure those folks are getting from American Airlines.

Are they being told to cut back on staff then.

And to get things done more quickly and and it and it's all kinds of bits and pieces like that -- can really get pressure that can make somebody just.

Get something or or perhaps there's something.

Bit that they normally would never do.

Well rob we have you -- -- -- interest.

Let me just a big hero -- really isn't really -- things that you mentioned -- -- I'll be -- just -- Iraq but it's Smart consumers.

Rod.

She we not fly airlines when they're going through bankruptcy because as he described there can be a lot of things that happened to me is this something -- it may be.

As consumers we avoid American Airlines for.

While well I think anybody from American is going to tell -- that it.

The airline is operating perfectly six it but it courses we all know the reason they're in bankruptcy is that they're you know they have more debt than their they -- revenue.

For whatever reason that is a variety of reasons -- that.

But but you know he should -- -- boy gets well I think everybody that's there is still dedicated due to doing the best job that they possibly can.

But in the case so let's say what we've seen with the pilots writing up all kinds of little bits and pieces that normally they would normally have just kind of ignored.

I think they're saying look you know.

We we've cut back as much as we can that we can't cut back anymore.

And so I think passengers need would at least be aware of of what's going on in a situation like.

Interesting received some ceased being carried out not sure if those were brought and are they being taken out of a plane.

But these workers are inspecting again the seats in some American airline planes in Boston John you had some thoughts on what rob had to say.

Yes you know the disruption in the workplace is what we're talking about in -- bankruptcy and when he was that tougher line employees.

And at that point in time that actually raises the burden on the management -- media line and also the oversight burden on the part of the FAA.

And I know the FAA often times or so homes in the management of many -- line is doing the right thing.

And now watching.

But under situations like we have here today the FAA should have an additional presence on the property.

Ensuring that the work that's being done is done in accordance with the proper procedures and America needs additional management personnel oversee the work that's being done.

Especially if it is outsourced.

And it's -- as you mention now source say rob just our viewers know.

That's part of this story apparently that some in the maintenance work is being outsourced to a contract and company to -- -- finger pointing going on between management.

The unions that outsourced company.

There's just a lot happening in this one story says when we're gonna continue to follow -- and rob thank you very much for both of your expertise today we appreciated.

And continue to -- -- that satellite picture than American Airlines plane in Boston what a story.

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