Southwest Cancels Chicago Flights After Engine Explosion

CHICAGO, IL — Travelers are advised to check on their flights before heading to the airport. Southwest Airlines canceled around 20 departures Monday at Midway International Airport. The Federal Aviation Administration has ordered an emergency inspection of all engines identical to the one that failed on a Southwest flight last week.

A woman was killed April 17 when a part from the exploding engine shattered the window next to her and she was partially sucked out. Another passenger pulled her back inside. It was the first fatality on Southwest Airlines in the company's history, and the first accident-related passenger death on a U.S. airline since 2009.

There are 352 engines in the U.S. of the same make and model as the one that failed last week, the FAA said. CFM56-7B is one of the most popular commercial engines in use, the FAA said, powering around 681 planes worldwide.

Southwest Airlines canceled around 100 flights across the country Monday, according to FlightAware.

Image via Midway Intl. Airport/Flickr