Alaska Airlines' vote of confidence

Passengers with Alaska Airlines will be flying in confidence this week, as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has approved the airline's safety procedures.

The FAA has ruled that jackscrews on Alaska Airlines' flights were safe for travel.

An FAA investigation was launched last fall, after internal reports from Alaska Airlines revealed that 15 jackscrews had gone unlubricated since March 2003.

The two-foot-long jackscrew is a key component in the tail of the MD-80 series jet. It moves the horizontal stabilizer at the top of the jet's tail, helping to control the plane in flight.

Despite 15 instances of dry screws, however, the four-page FAA report maintained that safety checks on Alaska Airlines were frequent enough to spot any jackscrews with too much wear and tear.

The investigation was launched after The Seattle Times reported that a mechanic from the airline had found unlubricated screws.

Alaska Airlines has been vigilant over the maintenance of its parts after a dry jackscrew was blamed for a fatal crash.

In January 2000, Alaska Airlines Flight 261 crashed off the coast of California, killing all 88 passengers.

Following the crash, the National Transportation Safety Board blamed a dry jackscrew for the mechanical failure, which caused the plane to dive.

However, the recent healthy report from the FAA should further restore fliers' confidence in the airline.

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