FAA considering grounding Southwest jets over safety checks

DALLAS — Federal regulators have threatened to ground dozens of Southwest Airlines jets if the airline can’t confirm that the planes, which it bought used from foreign operators, meet all safety standards.

The Federal Aviation Administration said Monday it has validated some major repairs to the planes, and it’s asking Southwest for more frequent updates until Southwest completes documenting maintenance on jets that have yet to be inspected.

Southwest says repairs on some used Boeing 737 jets it bought from foreign owners since 2013 were done but not properly classified. It downplays any risk to safety.

But the chairman of the House Transportation Committee, Peter DeFazio of Oregon, says he is skeptical that all 49 planes yet to be inspected are airworthy.