Why was American Airlines not punished sooner?

American Airlines was warned 18 months ago that it needed to address safety issues on its airlines. Why didn't it act then?

Today, the American Airlines PR Machine (read one reporter's opinion-news spin) is trying to spint he story that the real problem rests with the FAA and government bureaucracy. Really? What about the fact that American Airlines has been operating in an unsafe mode for 18 months, knew about the need to make the safety checks and improvements and did nothing?

Nothing, that is, until the FAA finally cam edown with a threat and then wanting to make it look like it is the FAA's fault, American Airlines decides to cancel hundreds of flights.

American Airlines should be fined huge! They should be punished and passengers whose flights were cancelled should be given the right to file lawsuits for damages caused when American Airlines, the unsafe airline that it is apparently, disrupted their lives in order to play politics with flight safety.

Ray Hanania