The OIG said it would begin the audit in August and would conduct its work at the FAA’s headquarters, and at air traffic facilities in Newark, New York and Philadelphia.
The company, which ordered 50 of the longer-range aircraft in 2019, plans to initially use this first plane on U.S. transcontinental routes later this year.
While the present contract expires at 11:59 p.m. Central Time on Sunday, there’s a seven-day “cooling off” period before IAM Local 837 workers can walk off the job.
Southwest is one of a few companies so far to put a price on the fallout from President Donald Trump’s efforts to reset global trade, inflation and economic uncertainty.