Atlanta, Georgia - The National Aviation Authority (NAA) has granted local carrier Uplift Airlines the permission to resume services. The company had been ordered to ground its planes a year ago after being involved in a series of accidents. The NAA's investigation revealed Uplift had been trying to cut costs by omitting important safety inspections. It was made to pay a large fine and introduce changes to the way it is run. Uplift's board of directors responded by buying new planes, replacing key executives, implementing new training programs, and modifying policies. Company investors are confident that with these changes, Uplift will become competitive again, possibly even overtaking market leader Jetspeed as the number one airline among budget-conscious travelers. The NAA hopes that Uplift's experience will serve as a warning to other budget airlines. NAA chairperson Anthony Hovis said, "while we respect competitor airlines' wishes to save on operating costs, we cannot allow such concerns to affect passenger safety." As of now, there are 12 budget carriers operating across the United States. |