American Airlines (AA) believes a mechanical issue, not improper
maintenance, caused rows of seats on two of its Boeing 757s to
repeatedly come loose during flights.
AA has completed inspections of 48 of its 102 757s that use a particular clamp to secure its economy seats to the floor.
“We have worked very closely with the FAA on a corrective action plan and all necessary repairs have been made on the aircraft that were inspected. All 48 aircraft are back in service,” AA said in a statement released Wednesday night.
AA said it believed a seat tracking and locking mechanism issue was a contributing factor to the problem, not a maintenance error.
“Over the next few weeks we will continue to work with the FAA and all manufacturers involved to review the corrective action taken. We believe a contributing factor is with the seat tracking and locking mechanism, not with where the work was performed. While American Airlines’ employees and third-party contractors have worked on the 757 aircraft involved, we have the utmost confidence in our highly skilled maintenance and engineering teams as well our contract maintenance providers,” AA said.
In an emailed statement to ATW, AA explained that the same rows of seats in two 757s repeatedly became loose despite them being tightened and checked by maintenance crews.
AA told ATW: “On Sept. 27, while in Miami, row 12 seats D, E and F [on a 757] were found to be loose and the row was tightened before the aircraft was returned to service. On Saturday, Sept. 29, AA 685 on a flight from Boston to Miami air interrupted into JFK when the same row of seats became loose on the same plane. Customers were re-accommodated on another plane that flew them to Miami. After the incident last Saturday, maintenance tightened the row a third time and the plane returned to service. On Sunday, the securing mounts on the row were replaced entirely.
“Meanwhile, on Sept. 26, on AA 2206, Vail to Dallas/Fort Worth, row 14 seats A, B and C became loose. The row was tightened and checked by maintenance personnel and the plane was returned to service. Later that day, after a flight from Dallas/Fort Worth to Boston, maintenance tightened the seats once again. On Monday, Oct. 1, AA 433, the same 757, on a flight from JFK to Miami, air interrupted back into JFK when the same row of seats became loose. Customers were re-accommodated on another plane that flew them to Miami.”
AA is in Chapter 11 restructuring andgoing through intense bargaining negotiations with its pilotswhohave been accused by airline management of causing considerable disruptions to operations through calling in sick or delaying flights for minor maintenance issues (ATW Daily News, Oct. 3).
AA has completed inspections of 48 of its 102 757s that use a particular clamp to secure its economy seats to the floor.
“We have worked very closely with the FAA on a corrective action plan and all necessary repairs have been made on the aircraft that were inspected. All 48 aircraft are back in service,” AA said in a statement released Wednesday night.
AA said it believed a seat tracking and locking mechanism issue was a contributing factor to the problem, not a maintenance error.
“Over the next few weeks we will continue to work with the FAA and all manufacturers involved to review the corrective action taken. We believe a contributing factor is with the seat tracking and locking mechanism, not with where the work was performed. While American Airlines’ employees and third-party contractors have worked on the 757 aircraft involved, we have the utmost confidence in our highly skilled maintenance and engineering teams as well our contract maintenance providers,” AA said.
In an emailed statement to ATW, AA explained that the same rows of seats in two 757s repeatedly became loose despite them being tightened and checked by maintenance crews.
AA told ATW: “On Sept. 27, while in Miami, row 12 seats D, E and F [on a 757] were found to be loose and the row was tightened before the aircraft was returned to service. On Saturday, Sept. 29, AA 685 on a flight from Boston to Miami air interrupted into JFK when the same row of seats became loose on the same plane. Customers were re-accommodated on another plane that flew them to Miami. After the incident last Saturday, maintenance tightened the row a third time and the plane returned to service. On Sunday, the securing mounts on the row were replaced entirely.
“Meanwhile, on Sept. 26, on AA 2206, Vail to Dallas/Fort Worth, row 14 seats A, B and C became loose. The row was tightened and checked by maintenance personnel and the plane was returned to service. Later that day, after a flight from Dallas/Fort Worth to Boston, maintenance tightened the seats once again. On Monday, Oct. 1, AA 433, the same 757, on a flight from JFK to Miami, air interrupted back into JFK when the same row of seats became loose. Customers were re-accommodated on another plane that flew them to Miami.”
AA is in Chapter 11 restructuring andgoing through intense bargaining negotiations with its pilotswhohave been accused by airline management of causing considerable disruptions to operations through calling in sick or delaying flights for minor maintenance issues (ATW Daily News, Oct. 3).
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