Washington Post, "Airline Inspections Called Inadequate: FAA Hasn't Kept Up With Risks Posed By Industry Cost-Cutting, Report Says"

           The Federal Aviation Administration is failing to effectively oversee new safety risks posed by sharp cost-cutting in the airline industry and rapid growth of budget carriers, a government report concludes.
           U.S. airlines -- many of which continue to struggle financially -- are looking for new ways to cut costs by outsourcing maintenance and reducing the time that planes are parked at gates.
           At the same time, new low-fare carriers are expanding to dozens of cities.
           Both trends have created safety concerns that the FAA has not adequately addressed in its inspection program, according to a Transportation Department inspector general report issued Wednesday.