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American cancels flights to inspect planes


Published: March 26, 2008 at 9:53 AM
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FORT WORTH, Texas, March 26 (UPI) -- American Airlines, based in Fort Worth, Texas, canceled about 200 flights Wednesday to inspect its aging MD-80 aircraft.

The airline said the cancellations came after a Federal Aviation Administration audit raised questions about how a wire bundle was attached to the aircraft, the Dallas Morning News reported.

"We are re-inspecting the MD-80s to make sure the wiring is installed and secured exactly according to the directive," American spokesman Tim Wagner said in a statement.

The inspection takes several hours per plane, Wagner said. Some have been completed and those planes were back in service.

"We are in the process of completing the inspections on the remaining airplanes and will return them to service on a rolling basis throughout the day (Wednesday)," he said.

The FAA last week ordered an audit of the safety programs of all U.S. airlines after fining Southwest Airlines $10.2 million for flying more than three dozen Boeing 737 jets that were out of compliance with airworthiness directives.

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A Palestinian refugee Mohamad Harb 85 year Old . shows his old house keys from his former village as a symbol of hope that his may return his one day on May 12, 2008 in his Rafah refugee camp which is located within the Gaza Strip. Harb used to live in the village of Hmamh before his family was forced to immigrate to the Gaza Strip in 1948. After sixty years Harb has hope of returning to his old village which is now in Israeli territory and is named Kreat Hmamh. Traditionally Palestinians commemorate May 15th as Nakba Day or Catastrophe Day, the day the Israeli State was created in 1948.(UPI Photo/Ismael Mohamad)
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