What's up with the airlines? Why are there so many down?

[DCofVA]

Maybe I’ve read about one too many conspiracy theories but, so many airplanes being taken out of service for safety checks is making me very suspicious.
I remember hearing (on network news) a while back that Bush had plans to install anti missile devices on commercial jets. I thought, what an outrageous waste of money that would be! Such spending would never get pass Congress but, what if, as usual, he didn’t go through Congress. Could they be installing these devices on the planes in secret? Or is there something else going on? Or, is it as simple as ware and tear taking its toll on the aging fleet, all at once?

[AlCzervik]

1. the faa came down on American because their own lack of oversight regarding Southwest

so American is reinspecting a whole bunch of their planes.

the Faa is now trying to appear that they are actually paying attention.

[Bucky]

2. Since Bush took office, airlines have been free to ignore FAA safety regs

Some airlines have even been able to gripe about safety & maintenance inspectors who were being too thorough in their oversight and have them fired or removed from their jobs. Not suprisingly, there aren't some of those chickens are starting to come home to roost.

[AlCzervik]

3. well in Bushland there are no repercussions so thats worked out nicely for many

corporations and government agencies.

[librechik]

4. there has been a cascade of discoveries that inspections have been ignored

since the first Southwestern alerts 2 weeks ago. That, as they say, was just the tip of the iceberg.

Now all the airlines hqave to show the skeletons in thie closets, and they are not pretty.

[MADem]

5. Outsourced maintenance? Shoddy construction?

Those antimissile devices would be a GOOD idea, actually. El Al has them. All they do is toss a bit of chaff to divert an incoming weapon. It's an idea that PREDATES Bush, BTW. It was discussed in earnest when that TWA a/c went down in Long Island. That was 96, before Nahn Wun Wun changed ever-thang.