Ministry to examine refueling practices

Ministry to examine refueling practices

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Following allegations from budget carrier Batavia Air that it was
supplied with adulterated fuel, the Ministry of Transportation,
together with the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, is
setting up a joint committee to examine aircraft refueling
practices at the country's airports.

Minister of Transportation Hatta Radjasa said on Tuesday that
the move would allow his ministry to play a bigger role as
the current airline audits did not give his ministry the chance
to check aircraft fuel tanks.

Hatta added that the two ministries would also carry out
investigations into the allegations.

Previously, Batavia Air filed a complaint with state oil company
Pertamina and the transportation ministry alleging that the fuel
pumped into one of its aircraft at Makassar had been mixed with
water.

The company reported that it had found a significant amount of
water in the aircraft's tanks after it was filled with jet fuel
supplied by Pertamina.

The oil company denied the allegations, saying it had standard
operating procedures for checking on the condition and quality of
the fuel before it was pumped into an aircraft's tanks.

"The preliminary examination includes a water check using a
water detector," said Pertamina public relations officer Abadi
Oetomo in a written statement.

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Purnomo Yusgiantoro
supported Pertamina's explanation, adding the water could have
resulted from condensation in the fuel tanks.

Pertamina submitted a request for an investigations by the two
ministries, the National Police forensic laboratory and the
National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

"The two ministries are going to investigate the matter and
will later carry out inspections at all airports," said NTSB
chairman Setio Rahardjo.