FAA orders engine inspections following Southwest incident

TAMPA (FOX 13) - The Federal Aviation Administration said this week it will require airlines to inspect all planes that use CFM engines, the same engine blamed for the death of a passenger on Southwest Flight 1380. 

The plane had to make an emergency landing due to an engine failure last Tuesday. Jennifer Riordan was injured after being partially sucked out of a window that was blown out by shrapnel from the engine explosion. She died shortly after. 

The directive, issued Friday, orders airlines to inspect all CFM engines that have more than 30,000 cycles. The FAA defines a cycle as one take off and one landing. 

Gary Kelly, Chairman for Southwest Airlines, estimated that there are more than 350 CFM engines in operation around the country. 

“Southwest conducts periodic inspections at a higher frequency than what is called for by General Electric or CFM,” explained Kelly. 

When asked, travelers at Tampa International Airport say the moves make them feel safer. 

“I think they’re looking out for people’s safety and not just the economy,” said passenger Joan Laedie.

Airlines don’t expect the emergency inspections to disrupt travel times. 

"Since we announced our voluntary, accelerated inspection program on Tuesday night, we have maintained minimal disruption to our operation and only need to cancel about 40 flights each day -- again on a total operation schedule of approximately 4,000 daily flights," Southwest said in a statement Sunday afternoon.