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Southwest Planes Going Back In Service After Malfunction

LINTHICUM, Md. (WJZ) -- Several Southwest Airlines planes are going back in service after a major malfunction prompted emergency inspections.

Ron Matz has more on what inspectors found on those planes.

Southwest says repairs are now complete on several planes that showed slight cracks in their aluminum skin.

The airline grounded hundreds of 737s and ordered emergency inspections last week, after a 5-foot hole opened up in the roof of a plane while it was in the air.

The pilot made an emergency landing and no one was hurt.

During the emergency inspections, Southwest says it found "minor subsurface cracking" on five of its planes.

Those planes were not considered at risk for the kind of metal fatigue that led to the hole in the Southwest plane in Arizona.

The repaired planes will be back in service Saturday.

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