[Gromit801]

SWA was also nailed for bribing FAA inspectors and skipping or delaying maintenance. Why one of theirs didn't fall out of the sky is pure luck. That leads me to believe for a long time, they were flying unsafe aircraft, with maintenance issues they ignored when possible to keep their on-time or departure percentages high.

And you know, if my cable or my fridge goes out, 200 people aren't likely to die as a result. As a onetime USAF aircraft crew chief, it's a no-brainer: fix the bird. You have to cancel? Fine. They can only complain if they're alive.