FAA penalizes five companies for safety, hazmat violations

By Jeffrey Dastin

(Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration proposed a combined total of more than $430,000 in penalties for five companies on Friday, including FedEx Corp, British Airways and a unit of American Airlines Group, for alleged violations of safety and hazardous material regulations.

The FAA proposed that British Airways pay a $195,000 (150,590 pounds) penalty for allegedly asking its partner American Airlines to ship a highly flammable oxygen generator, forbidden as cargo on passenger flights, from London to Dallas on Aug. 14, 2012.

Separately, the FAA recommended a fine of $65,000 for FedEx for supposedly failing to inspect a package with two paint cans, one of which leaked during transit, in violation of rules on transporting hazardous materials.

It also proposed a $60,000 penalty for American Eagle Airlines, part of American Airlines Group, for not following approved de-icing procedures for certain flights from Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

The other two companies were not air carriers, but were accused of not declaring flammable liquids that were shipped by air, and they faced combined penalties of $111,600.

Each company has either scheduled or requested a meeting with the FAA to discuss the fines, the FAA said.

"Our goal is 100 (percent) compliance," Bonny Harrison, a FedEx spokesperson, said in an emailed statement. "FedEx Express made the proper notification to the FAA when the incident occurred. At no time was the safety of the public or our team members at risk."

A spokesperson for American Airlines Group said in an email that the company is reviewing the notice and will meet with the FAA soon.

British Airways was not immediately available for comment.

(Reporting By Jeffrey Dastin; Editing by Alwyn Scott)