Southwest Airlines shed $2.8 million to settle the Federal Aviation Administration lawsuit after authorities found irregularities in performing maintenance work.

The FAA sued Southwest Airlines in November 2014 in Seattle after the company allegedly failed to observe the maintenance process performed by their contractors, ABC reported.

According to USA Today, the FAA discovered that the maintenance contractor -- Aviation Technical Services -- did not comply with the safety standards for fuselage repairs. The contractor allegedly installed fasteners and sealant improperly when they performed fuselage patchwork on 44 Boeing 737 from 2006 to 2009.

The FAA also argued that Southwest Airlines failed to ensure the structural integrity of their planes. The lawsuit stated that the company should pay $25,000 for each time a plane with safety risks. It was revealed that the company flew the planes for six months before addressing the issues.

The FAA also revealed that Southwest Airlines planes failed to address the wiring issues, which could have caused fires and electrical disruptions. According to the lawsuit, two planes flew in 2012 despite having dangerous wirings, which could cause troubles in case lightning strikes.

Southwest Airlines and government lawyers were scheduled to appear in court in March before the two parties reached settlement. According to FAA Administrator Michael Huerta, the agreement gave Southwest Airlines room to address the issues further.

"Safety depends on compliance with our regulations," Huerta said. "This agreement provides strong incentives for Southwest to take specific steps to address the compliance problems that the FAA investigations uncovered."

Southwest Airlines will also need to enhance their maintenance policies since they could still be required to pay $5.5 million in penalties if they will fail to comply with the FAA safety regulations.

Southwest Airlines has remained firm on their stance and maintained the safety of their planes is their top priority. The company said that they are now relieved the lawsuit is now a thing of the past because they can now focus on their future priorities.

"We are pleased to have reached a comprehensive settlement with the U.S. government over matters that are now fully resolved and far behind us," the company said in a statement. "The safety of our aircraft remains our top priority, and to that end, we remain committed to meeting or exceeding all applicable FAA safety regulations."