INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
The accident caused the first passenger death on a Southwest flight ever (AFP)
Southwest Airlines is providing $5,000 checks and $1,000 travel vouchers to
passengers who were on a flight this week when an engine broke apart, killing a woman on board."We value you as our customer and hope you
will allow us another opportunity to restore your confidence in Southwest," Chief Executive Officer Gary Kelly said in a letter to the
"In this spirit, we are sending you a check in the amount of $5,000 to cover any of your immediate financial needs."The National
Transportation Safety Board is trying to determine why a fan blade tore loose, shattering the CFM engine and shooting fragments at a wing
and the fuselage of the Boeing Co
Federal investigators found signs of metal fatigue where the blade broke off.Jennifer Riordan died after debris destroyed the window next to
her, causing the mother of two to be partially sucked through the opening
The Albuquerque, New Mexico, resident was one of 144 passengers and five crew members on Flight 1380 when the midair accident occurred near
Philadelphia, en route to Dallas from New York on Tuesday.Beyond the check and the voucher, Southwest offered the passengers assistance with
other "necessities," including help being reunited with luggage that was on the flight or other expenses
"Our primary focus and commitment is to assist you in every way possible," Kelly wrote.Southwest and other U.S
carriers that use the CFM56-7B engine, made by a joint venture of General Electric Co
and France's Safran SA, have been examining fan blades for cracks
The Federal Aviation Administration has said it will order ultrasonic inspection of the parts.The accident caused the first passenger death
on a Southwest flight ever, and the first on a U.S
commercial airline since 2009.(This story has not been edited by staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
