FAA PROPOSES $240,000 FINE AGAINST MEXICANA AIRLINES
The Federal Aviation Administration has proposed to asses a $240,000 civil penalty against Mexicana Airlines for allegedly violating the U.S. Department of Transportation hazardous materials regulations.
''''The FAA alleges that Mexicana handled six separate shipments containing hazardous materials aboard passenger aircraft.
''''The shipments, all from Brownsville, Texas, to Yorba Linda, Calif., comprises protective breathing equipment, which contained oxygen generators. Shipping generators aboard passenger aircraft is strictly prohibited.
''''Oxygen generators were believed to have caused an explosion on a ValuJet passenger aircraft which crashed into the Florida Everglades several years ago. Since then, the FAA has stepped up regulation of hazardous materials aboard aircraft.
''''The boxes containing the shipments were not properly marked or labeled as hazardous materials, no were they accompanied by shippers' certification or declaration of hazardous goods.
''''Mexicana has 30 days to reply to the agency.
''''The FAA also proposed a $133,000 penalty against an Oklahoma cosmetics manufacturing company, Cosmetic Specialty Labs Inc., of shipping 21 boxes of hair styling spray from Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas to Oslo, Norway.
''''The hair spray, which has a flashpoint of 55 degrees Fahrenheit, was discovered at Dallas/Fort Worth by U.S. Customs officials, who called FAA inspectors.