Eastern Says FAA Claims Settled: Eastern Airlines...

Eastern Says FAA Claims Settled: Eastern Airlines said it has settled pre-strike safety claims by the Federal Aviation Administration and gotten favorable marks for the safety of its rebuilding effort. Company spokeswoman Karen Ceremsak said Eastern is paying about $11.5 million in FAA fines. The FAA safety charges were from 1985 to 1988, she said, and the claims were settled to meet an Aug. 31 U.S. Bankruptcy Court deadline for old claims against the carrier. Eastern filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization on March 9. Ceremsak said the fines were assessed because of numerous record-keeping violations. She said all the fines had to do with the pre-strike work force.