Bumper crop of fines...

[denverpilot]

Just doing a little research here... No matter how it actually ended up as to what FAA really received, if anything.... That's a lot of scratch.

2012:

$153,000 Colgan Air - http://news.aviation-safety.net/2012/03/02/faa-proposes-153000-civil-penalty-against-colgan-air/

$395,850 USAirways - http://news.aviation-safety.net/2012/05/17/faa-proposes-395850-civil-penalty-against-us-airways/

$445,125 Horizon Air - http://news.aviation-safety.net/2012/05/03/faa-proposes-445125-civil-penalty-against-horizon-air/

$210,000 Alaska Airlines - http://news.aviation-safety.net/201...210000-civil-penalty-against-alaska-airlines/

2011:
$585,725 Corporate Air - http://news.aviation-safety.net/2011/02/21/faa-proposes-585725-civil-penalty-against-corporate-air/

$550,000 Executive Airlines - http://news.aviation-safety.net/201...000-civil-penalty-against-executive-airlines/

$350,000 Lynx Aviation - http://news.aviation-safety.net/2011/04/08/faa-proposes-350000-civil-penalty-against-lynx-aviation/

$1,050,000 Boeing Corp. - http://news.aviation-safety.net/201...ion-civil-penalty-against-the-boeing-company/

$250,000 AirTran Airways - http://news.aviation-safety.net/201...250000-civil-penalty-against-airtran-airways/

$584,375 United Airlines - http://news.aviation-safety.net/201...584375-civil-penalty-against-united-airlines/

$425,000 Atlantic Southeast Airlines - http://news.aviation-safety.net/201...-penalty-against-atlantic-southeast-airlines/

$689,800 Federal Express - http://news.aviation-safety.net/201...689800-civil-penalty-against-federal-express/

$269,000 The Parachute Center - http://news.aviation-safety.net/201...0-civil-penalty-against-the-parachute-center/

$298,500 Capital Cargo - http://news.aviation-safety.net/201...against-capital-cargo-international-airlines/

$262,000 AmeriFlight - http://news.aviation-safety.net/2011/08/26/faa-seeks-262000-civil-penalty-against-ameriflight/

$155,000 American Eagle - http://news.aviation-safety.net/201...il-penalties-against-american-eagle-airlines/

$1,892,00 Colgan Air - http://news.aviation-safety.net/201...1-9-million-civil-penalty-against-colgan-air/

$1.1 Technical Aviation Services - http://news.aviation-safety.net/201...-penalty-against-aviation-technical-services/

$590,000 Alaska Airlines. - http://news.aviation-safety.net/201...590000-civil-penalty-against-alaska-airlines/

$1,202,500 Pinnacle Airlines - http://news.aviation-safety.net/201...in-civil-penalties-against-pinnacle-airlines/

$160,000 SkyWest Airlines - http://news.aviation-safety.net/201...-in-civil-penalties-against-skywest-airlines/

 

[masloki]

And we only started 2H2012 yesterday. My thought is that these fines are still low, and potentially in the range of "the cost of doing business." As a point of comparison, rough number it would cost about 45k to fuel up a 737. United cancels some flights and they are back in the black.

 

[Captain]

Airline fines are for the press. Airlines never actually pay them, or at least the full amount. Usually they pay around 10% of whatever the fine is.

 

[steingar]

Airline fines are for the press. Airlines never actually pay them, or at least the full amount. Usually they pay around 10% of whatever the fine is.

This is certainly eye-opening. Can you point out some documentation for this claim? I don't mean to gainsay anything, just looking for some confirmation (beyond, "I heard it over a glass of bourbon".

 

[Captain]

Well, I guess I mostly remember that from my 121 days. CBS did a story on Airline Fine Reduction but the amounts the fine was lowered is much less than my stated '90%'.

CBS story

However, I did find a case where the fine was reduced by 90%.

90% Fine Reduction Case

Maybe I overstepped with the 10% figure. Point remains though that they seldom collect the full fine levied.

 

[Henning]

I liked Colgan's deal, and it shows you what the FAA thinks about crew. $1.5MM for training FAs on the wrong fire extinguishers, $150k for inadequate crew rest of flight and cabin crew.

 

[LearDriver]

This is certainly eye-opening. Can you point out some documentation for this claim? I don't mean to gainsay anything, just looking for some confirmation (beyond, "I heard it over a glass of bourbon".

The fine is just an attention getter. The company complies and Feds knock down the fine. It's always constant negotiating game.