FAA seen as more adversarial to airlines

WASHINGTON, April 13 (UPI) -- Airline analysts say the recent turmoil in U.S. air travel is a sign the Federal Aviation Administration is taking a harder line on the industry.

The New York Times said the recent short-notice grounding of planes for inspections signified an end to a more cooperative approach that began after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks when airlines were hit by a sharp downturn in business.

"We had drifted a little bit too much toward the over-closeness and coziness between regulator and regulated," said H. Clayton Foushee Jr., a former FAA official who helped lead a recent congressional inquiry into the agency's oversight.

The Times said FAA whistleblowers found a sympathetic ear in Congress, a development that led to a national audit on maintenance compliance. The results included the recent inspections and a proposed record $10.2 million fine against Southwest Airlines.