FAA to order emergency checks of older 737s

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The government will order emergency checks of certain older model Boeing Co 737s for the kind of fatigue cracks that prompted Southwest Airlines Co to cancel hundreds of flights.

The Federal Aviation Administration directive on 737-300 fuselage inspections, expected on Tuesday, applies to domestic carriers. But overseas regulators are expected to follow with the airlines operating in their countries.

The order will cover 175 planes globally.

Most of the 80 737-300s needing checks in the United States are flown by Southwest, which is in the midst of its own emergency inspections after one of those planes landed on Friday in Arizona with a hole in its fuselage.

(Reporting by John Crawley; Editing by Gary Hill)