Bridgestone/Firestone airlifts first batches of tires

TOKYO (Aug. 24)—Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. airlifted about 800 Bridgestone tires on four Thai Airways flights from Tokyo to the U.S. Aug. 23 as part of an effort to get replacement tires to motorists who own the recalled Firestone ATX, ATX II and Wilderness AT tires. A company spokeswoman said the firm will airlift about 2,000 tires on 11 flights by Aug. 27 and expects to airlift about 5,000 altogether. In related news, Bridgestone Corp., Bridgestone/Firestone´s parent firm, said it was stepping up production of its Dueler H/L683, Dueler A/T693 and other tires at its three Japanese plants to produce about 450,000 tires for the recall effort. News of the airlift and Japanese efforts came in the midst of further negative publicity for Bridgestone/Firestone, including reports of Saudi Arabia suspending imports of Firestone tires; Honda Motor Co. reviewing whether it wanted to continue to use Firestone tires as original equipment; and former workers from the Bridgestone/Firestone plant in Decatur, Ill., giving depositions in a court case in which they accused the company of shoddy quality control practices.