Letter: FAA, carriers fly high in the friendly skies
A reader writes that the FAA's cozy relationship with major air carriers diminishes the agency's ability to regulate them.
Regarding "FAA moves to improve safety oversight," the FAA still encourages a cozy relationship with their "customers", i.e. the major air carriers. This obviously diminishes the agency's capabilities in its role of regulation and oversight of the airline industry — which is the job Congress has mandated for it.
In my opinion, the only fix for this is a total house-cleaning of upper level FAA management, beginning with the removal of acting FAA Administrator Bobby Sturgell. Congressman Oberstar, Chairman of the Aviation Sub-committee, called for this action a few months ago after a hearing, during which the cozy business relationship between the FAA and the air carriers was brought to light.
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