WASHINGTON — FAA officials overseeing Southwest Airlines
ignored safety violations, leaked sensitive data to the
carrier and tried to intimidate two inspectors to head off
investigations, according to previously undisclosed
allegations by the inspectors.

The Federal Aviation Administration inspectors are scheduled
to testify April 3 before the House Transportation
Committee. They say others in the agency allowed Southwest
to skip critical safety inspections for years. The charges
are in government documents provided to USA TODAY