FAA Corrects United: Restrictions Still In Place

The FAA says it has not lifted any operational restrictions on United Airlines, contradicting a memo from senior officials at the airline that the regulator is allowing it to “begin the process of restarting our certification activities.” The FAA froze airline operations in March, keeping it from adding any aircraft or routes until a safety review was completed. The review followed a spate of maintenance and operational incidents involving United flights, including an aircraft going off the side of a taxiway into mud, a wheel falling off an aircraft and a piece of wing box fairing ripping off in flight.

“The FAA has not approved any expansion of United Airlines' routes or fleet," the agency said in a statement. “The Certificate Holder Evaluation Program that the FAA is conducting for United is ongoing and safety will determine the timeline for completing it.” The airline did not offer an explanation for jumping the gun.