American Airlines says flight operations should be back to normal by late Saturday afternoon after a frustrating week with more than 3,000 cancellations.
Two-hundred more flights are being grounded today as the airline completes government-ordered re-inspections of the wiring on its MD-80 jets.
The cancellations have angered customers and employees alike. Flight attendants have renewed a campaign against stock bonuses for top American executives and the pilots union has taken out full-page newspaper ads asking, "Why is American Airlines Failing Its Customers?"
The backup began Tuesday when American was forced to take 300 planes out of service. It had to make sure wires were properly bundled to prevent rubbing that could a catastrophic short. The airline had inspected the planes two weeks earlier, but the government said the wiring still wasn't up to standard.
Airline chief Gerard Arpey is taking the blame for the incident and says the company will hire a consultant to ensure future government compliance.
