FAA lowered bar for Southwest Airlines approvals, complaint alleges

US air-safety regulators likely acted improperly in the way they authorised Southwest Airlines to begin flights between California and Hawaii last year, according to the main govt agency that handles federal whistleblower complaints. The preliminary conclusion by the Office of Special Counsel pertains to a FAA employee’s allegations that agency managers gave the carrier preferential treatment by rushing the approval process and cutting corners in other ways. The counsel’s staff “found a substantial likelihood of wrongdoing” by FAA employees, according to one document, among several documents and emails between staff and the whistleblower reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. The inquiry hasn’t been made public. <br/>