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.