Airlines responsible for refueling process<\/p>\n
Leony Aurora and Anissa S. Febrina, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
While an investigation into the alleged adulteration of jet fuel
\nin Makassar continues, a minister declared on Wednesday that
\nairlines were also partly responsibility for any irregularities
\nduring refueling.<\/p>\n
\"We will thoroughly investigate the safety aspects, but as
\nstipulated in the ministerial decree, operators are also
\nresponsible for any problems during refueling,\" Minister of
\nTransportation Hatta Rajasa said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
After refueling, the airline, via its staff, had to give its
\nconsent and approval -- meaning that the carrier was also
\ninvolved in the process.<\/p>\n
He added that the ministry would begin its safety checks after
\nthe police completed their own investigation. In the meantime,
\nthe plane in question would be grounded for the duration of the
\ninvestigation.<\/p>\n
Previously, Batavia Air filed a complaint with state oil and
\ngas firm Pertamina and the Ministry of Transportation alleging
\nthat the fuel pumped into one of its aircraft at Makassar had
\nbeen mixed with water.<\/p>\n
The case is currently being investigated by the South Sulawesi
\nPolice, who declared four Pertamina employees working at the
\nairport's fueling station as suspects on Tuesday. The four have
\nnow been arrested for failing to follow standard operational
\nprocedures.<\/p>\n
The ministry's director of air transportation, M. Iksan
\nTatang, said that on paper all of the procedures had been
\nfollowed.<\/p>\n
However, \"We will evaluate whether Batavia had done its
\nmaintenance properly. Negligence in the process will lead to the
\ngrounding of its planes,\" Tatang said.<\/p>\n
Commenting on the case, state oil and gas firm PT Pertamina
\ndenied any wrongdoing, saying it had followed all the procedures,
\nincluding checking the condition and quality of the fuel before
\nit was pumped into the aircraft's fuel tank.<\/p>\n
Pertamina trading and marketing director Ari Soemarno said the
\ncompany therefore objected to the arrests.<\/p>\n
Ari explained that the complaint by Batavia was filed more
\nthan 24 hours after refueling had been completed, just after
\nPertamina had drained the tank, making it impossible for the
\ncompany to take another sample.<\/p>\n
Batavia said that the sample it had taken from the aircraft's
\ntank revealed that it had a very high water content.<\/p>\n
\"For the time being, we will let the police carry on with
\ntheir investigation. We will not interfere. We will do ours
\nafterwards,\" Tatang said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/airlines-responsible-for-refueling-process-1447893297",
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