RPT-US airline Southwest grounds 41 planes

(Repeats to add dropped word fine in last paragraph)

NEW YORK, March 12 (Reuters) - Southwest Airlines Co (LUV.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said on Wednesday that it had taken 41 planes out of service, declining to comment on the reason.

Southwest said on Tuesday that it suspended three employees in response to U.S. government allegations it knowingly allowed planes to fly that had not been properly inspected for potential structural flaws.

The Federal Aviation Administration last week proposed a record $10.2 million fine in connection with allegedly failing inspections. (Reporting by Chris Reiter; Editing by Leslie Gevirtz)