FAA reassigns manager in Southwest matter

WASHINGTON, April 8 (UPI) -- The Federal Aviation Administration says it reassigned a regional manager in the wake of charges of ignored violations and cover-ups in the U.S. agency.

An FAA spokeswoman said the agency Monday gave new, unspecified duties to Thomas Stuckey, an FAA regional chief of inspectors, after testimony before Congress focused on violations and other problems at Southwest Airlines, USA Today reported Tuesday.

"He's in an administrative position that does not have safety oversight responsibilities," spokeswoman Laura Brown said.

The move is the latest event in a controversy in which the FAA ultimately fined Southwest $10.2 million for flying jets without required inspections for potentially dangerous skin cracks. Other airlines later grounded hundreds of jets in a federal safety review.

Allegations of ignoring safety violations, attempting retribution and cover-ups presented to a House transportation committee hearing Thursday were directed to Stuckey's office, which oversees southwestern

states. He denied wrongdoing at the hearing.