Southwest pilots sue Boeing over 737 Max grounding, say plane maker 'deliberately mislead'

[Denizen]

The litigation by US entities against Boeing has now started. Its the pilots first, and flight attendants are also considering litigation.

It's certain airlines will be seeking compensation from Boeing. Southwest Airlines reported 30,000 flights canceled because of 737 Max grounding. If all airlines are considered, there will be many more multiples of this number.

The 737 Max is still grounded and there is no certainty it will be flying before 2020 if at all.

Meanwhile, the number of incidents with 787 Dreamliner is also mounting presenting Boeing with considerable problems with its image and with expensive remedial actions with aircraft.

Southwest pilots sue Boeing over 737 Max grounding, say plane maker 'deliberately mislead'

Southwest pilots sue Boeing over 737 Max grounding, say plane maker 'deliberately mislead'
Dawn Gilbertson, USA TODAYPublished 7:34 p.m. ET Oct. 7, 2019 | Updated 7:59 p.m. ET Oct. 7, 2019

Southwest Airlines' pilots union is suing Boeing for damages caused by the prolonged grounding of the Boeing 737 Max, saying a steep reduction in flights has cost pilots an estimated $115 million in compensation.
In a 79-page lawsuit filed in Dallas Monday, the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association, which represents nearly 10,000 pilots at the nation's largest domestic carrier, slammed Boeing for what it called negligence and fraudulent misrepresentation and nondisclosure.
All stem from what the union says was Boeing's sales pitch that the Max was "essentially the same as the time-tested 737 aircraft'' Southwest pilots knew well.
The airline has an all-Boeing fleet and was announced as a launch customer for the Max in 2011. Southwest took delivery of its first Max in 2017 and had 34 in its fleet when the plane was grounded March 13 after two fatal crashes in less than five months.
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Last week, the National Transportation Safety Board said the system didn't allow pilots to easily understand what was happening in a critical situation, and recommended that the federal government require Boeing redesign the Maneuvering Characteristics Augmentation System, or MCAS, so it is more intuitive.
Boeing has been working on a software fix for months and has repeatedly said it plans to submit the plans soon to the FAA.
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The Max grounding has caused Southwest to cancel more than 30,000 flights since March, according to the lawsuit. Southwest Chief Financial Officer Tammy Romo has previously said the airline's seat capacity will be down 8% from original expectations at the end of the year because of the Max grounding.
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The Southwest pilots won't be the only group seeking compensation from Boeing. Southwest CEO Gary Kelly, along with the top executives at American and United, have said they will seek compensation from the company. Kelly has said he hopes to share any compensation with employees as the airline's profit sharing will be down this year due to the flight cutbacks.
The union representing Southwest flight attendants sent a note to members Monday saying it continues to talk to its legal advisers.
"We will persist in exploring all legal options available to our organization, and vow to advocate on your behalf vigorously,'' Chad Kleibscheidel, first vice president of Transport Workers Union Local 556 said in the memo. ...