AMR’s American Expands Loose Seat Inspection to 47 Boeing 757s

American Airlines, which extended inspections for loose aircraft seats to 47 Boeing Co. (BA) 757s, blamed the problem on an incorrectly installed clamp.

American planned yesterday to evaluate eight 757s, and expanded the reviews “out of an abundance of caution,” the Fort Worth, Texas-based carrier said in a statement today. It didn’t disclose results of the 36 inspections already completed.

The evaluations were triggered after seats came loose from tracks holding them to the cabin floor on two 757s, including one where the problem recurred a second time in two weeks. The clamps, used on 47 of the airline’s 102 757s, were installed on the foot of a seat-row leg, the carrier said.

“This issue does not seem to be tied to any one maintenance facility or work group,” Andrea Huguely, an American spokeswoman, said in the statement.

To contact the reporter on this story: Mary Schlangenstein in Dallas at maryc.s@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Ed Dufner at edufner@bloomberg.net

Enlarge image

American Plane’s Loose Seats Spur Inquiry by Airline, FAA

Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg

American has been plagued by flight delays since mid-September, when it began imposing cost-cutting contract terms on pilots and announced plans to lay off more than 4,000 mechanics and other airport ground workers as part of its restructuring.

American has been plagued by flight delays since mid-September, when it began imposing cost-cutting contract terms on pilots and announced plans to lay off more than 4,000 mechanics and other airport ground workers as part of its restructuring. Photographer: Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg

1:28

Oct. 2 (Bloomberg) -- Jane King summarizes the top stories this morning on the Bloomberg Business Report. (Source: Bloomberg)