• Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-700 San Francisco
    Southwest Airlines
    IATA/ICAO Code:
    WN/SWA
    Airline Type:
    Low-Cost Carrier
    Hub(s):
    Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, Dallas Love Field, Denver International Airport, Harry Reid International Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Houston Hobby Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, Midway International Airport, Oakland International Airport, Orlando International Airport, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
    Year Founded:
    1967
    CEO:
    Robert Jordan
    Country:
    United States

Documents filed by attorneys pursuing a lawsuit against Southwest Airlines claim the airline proposed to deceive the Federal Aviation Administration. The filing alleges that in 2016, Southwest Airlines asked Boeing if engineers could install a new flight-control safety alert, required for the B737 MAX, on one of its older Boeing 737s.

Once the MAX was certified the new device was to be deactivated. According to the Seattle Times, the filing also alleges that the sole purpose of this proposal was to tell the FAA that the alert was not new on the MAX.

The alleged goal

The aim of that ruse was to avoid additional pilot training, particularly simulator training, that Southwest did not want existing pilots to be required to undertake. The documents say that Southwest pressured Boeing to ensure that its pilots, and those at other airlines, required only minimal training to fly the MAX. There was a clause in the agreement between Southwest and Boeing that the manufacturer would pay the airline $1 million per plane if B737 MAX simulator training was required.

The report says former US Department of Transportation inspector general and airlines safety advocate Mary Schiavo said:

"It's hard to come up with any reason for that other than to deceive the FAA. It's really appalling."

Southwest Boeing 737-700
Southwest wanted to minimize the training its B737 pilots would have to do when transitioning to the MAX. Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

Why was MCAS not in the pilot materials?

The filing cites documents that show Southwest didn't want existing Boeing B737 NG pilots to do either simulator or classroom training. Its argument was that the MAX was so similar to previous models of the B737 that simulator training would not be necessary. Southwest did get the outcome it wanted with, B737 NG pilots able to upgrade to fly MAXs after completing a three-hour course on an iPad. To placate its biggest MAX customer, the suit alleges Boeing directed its training development organization to collaborate with Southwest on the required pilot training. Ultimately, in 2019, after the Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines crashes, the FAA mandated simulator training before pilots could resume flying the B737 MAX.

The filing alleges that Southwest also pressured Boeing to remove any mention of the new flight control software called the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System (MCAS) from pilot materials. In November 2015 Southwest reviewed the MAX's systems, pilot procedures and flight manuals and came across a mention of MCAS in a pilot checklist for an emergency procedure. It contacted Boeing to remove the MCAS from the checklist and it was.

Southwest is the biggest B737 MAX customer on Boeing's list

Southwest-Airlines-Boeing-737-8H4-N8696E-Vincenzo-Pace-1
Southwest benefited from a boom in demand for leisure travel this summer. Photo: Vincenzo Pace I Simple Flying

At the end of April this year, Boeing's unfilled orders report shows that Southwest has 379 B737 MAX on order. ch-aviation.com data lists Southwest currently operating 74 Boeing B737 MAX 8 and outstanding orders for 142 MAX 8 and 259 for B737 MAX 7 aircraft.

This lawsuit is basically about Boeing and Southwest concealing B737 MAX safety defects to 'buoy' demand for air travel, resulting in those passengers paying higher ticket prices. Perhaps an unintended consequence is that the revelations about Southwest's role in the MAX certification show another element to the MAX tragedies.

The Seattle Times report says that "Boeing had declined to comment on the legal case and that Southwest spokesperson Brandy King said: "Southwest vigorously disputes the plaintiff's characterization of the facts in this lawsuit." Simple Flying has contacted Boeing and we will update the article with any response.

The death of 346 people in the B737 MAX crashes and the trauma suffered by many others is the real tragedy here. However when this lawsuit is heard perhaps a lot more will be learned about the training provided to pilots, be they from Southwest, Lion Air or Ethiopian Airlines.

Discover more aviation news here.

Source: Seattle Times