AA Grounding all MD80s for Safety checks!

[T-Bird76]

Just hit the wires! Wow!!!!! Almost 300 planes out of service!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/

[Matt Molnar]

The gf is supposed to fly LGA-DFW on what is typically an MD-82 today. Another report I read said 2/3 of the MD-80s are out of service, and her flight, scheduled for 11:35am, is supposedly on-time as of now. I guess they might do an equipment sub since it's a hub route.

[Matt Molnar]

Chicago Tribune:

Equipment issues force American Airlines to cancel dozens of flights

By Jeremy Gorner and David Elsner | Tribune staff reporters
8:22 AM CDT, March 26, 2008

American Airlines Wednesday morning canceled most of its flights that use Boeing MD-80 aircraft, an airline spokesman said. Included are a number of flights at O'Hare International Airport.

In all, 171 of the airline's 2,200 daily flights were canceled.

The airline said that about two-thirds of its 300-plane MD-80 fleet had been temporarily grounded. [Full Article]

[Matt Molnar]

Apparently they're not "grounding" the aircraft. The concern is over the way a particular bundle of wires is secured, and inspection does not take very long, but long enough that they had to cancel a bunch of flights this morning. Presumably most of them will be back in service by later today.

[NYARTCCFAN]

7 OF 12 flights here in Tampa have been cancelled(ORD AND DFW service)

[NYARTCCFAN]

Tampa American Flight Board

http://www.tampaairport.com/flights/evi ... _evids.asp

[cancidas]

smell that? OVERTIME FOR MX FOLK!! :D

[Matt Molnar]

AAL731 took off on time.

[MarkLawrence]

Gotta hurt AA like hell with that! AA only services PBI with MD's - going to hurt them!

[Midnight Mike]

Delta reinspects 133 planes over wiring directive

http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsN ... 326?rpc=44

A spokeswoman said the airline, acting voluntarily but after consulting with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), is rechecking its entire MD-series fleet, including 117 MD-88s and 16 MD-90s.

[Matt Molnar]

Update: AA inspected 200 planes yesterday, and 80(!) of them required repairs to wiring bundles near the landing gear.

AA and Delta are expected to continue inspections today with more flight cancellations as a result.

[Matt Molnar]

Update: DL canceled the first two LGA-BOS shuttle runs this morning, delayed the third by an hour, and they expect more cancellations throughout the day.

[Matt Molnar]

Delta LGA-BOS
6am: Canceled
630am: Canceled
730am: Departed 41 mins late
830am: Canceled
930am: On time
1030am: Canceled
1130am: Canceled
1230pm: Canceled
130pm: On time, in flight
230-830pm hourly departures: listed as on time

BOS-LGA
6am: Departed 12 mins late
630am: Canceled
730am: Departed 8 mins late
830am: Canceled
930am: Canceled
1030am: Canceled
1130am: On time
1230pm: Canceled
130pm: 1 hour delay
230pm: Canceled
330-830pm hourly departures: listed as on time

[T-Bird76]

Looks like AA canceled 300 flights yesterday. A much higher number then they first said.

[Matt Molnar]

Advisory: Safety is Delta's No. 1 priority and we take Airworthiness Directives very seriously. Delta is working in full partnership with the FAA and has begun proactively and voluntarily revalidating the full compliance of a prior Airworthiness Directive that was completed earlier this year. We expect this voluntary review, which will take place on Delta's MD88 aircraft, to result in approximately 275 cancellations through early Friday, impacting about 3 percent of Delta's worldwide flight schedule. Delta apologizes in advance for any inconvenience this may cause and will work proactively to contact and reaccomodate any affected customers.

Based on the aggressive and proactive re-inspection schedule, Delta expects inspections to be complete on approximately 70 percent of its MD-88 fleet by early evening, with normal operations planned by early Friday.

For information on your flight, check Flight Status below.

Last updated: March 27, 2008, 12pm ET