American said in a statement that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) raised new concerns about recent wiring inspections on the mainly older narrowbody planes that resulted in canceled flights two weeks ago.
The current and previous inspections stem from an industrywide FAA review of airline compliance with agency safety directives.
Several carriers have grounded aircraft as a result of the audit, which was triggered by inspection and maintenance lapses at Southwest Airlines Co (NYSE:LUV - News) and Delta Air Lines Inc. and Northwest Airlines Corp. could be in a position to proceed with their long-delayed merger announcement as early as next week if Delta management succeeds in current talks with its own carrier's pilots, said people familiar with the situation.
With fuel prices at historically high levels and the economy weakening, Delta and Northwest are under increasing financial pressure that has made a merger look even more compelling. A combination of the nation's No. 3 and No. 5 airlines by traffic would create the world's biggest airline, with a larger network that could boost revenue and reduce ...
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