As frequent Southwest Airlines fliers, we are shocked to hear that in the past two years, 60,000 flights were operated in old planes with long overdue inspections. In response to this neglect, the FAA is threatening to slap the airline with its largest-ever fine: $10.2 million.

Southwest’s blog tells anxious customers: “We assure you that this issue never compromised the safety of our fleet. Southwest has an excellent maintenance program, with more Boeing 737 aircraft experience than any carrier in the world. Safety is, has always been, and will always will be our number one priority.”

But according to CNN, small fatigue-related cracks were found in the fuselage of six planes in Southwest’s fleet, which doesn’t sound so terrible, until they note that in 1988 the roof of a Boeing 737 broke off mid-flight because of similar cracks. Safety, we think, means not riding in a plane that wants to be a convertible.

Despite all this, we’re having a difficult time deciding what’s more upsetting: that Southwest put its budget-savvy customers’ lives in danger, or that the days of round-trip flights costing under $100 have probably come to an end.

Image via Southwest Airlines.