JUST IN: Rising adulterated fuel: Airlines must be vigilant — UNA

Following the increasing number of unlicensed aviation fuel suppliers in the country, airlines have been advised to remain vigilant and ensure they carry audits on their aviation fuel, also known as jet A1 fuel suppliers.

This is coming following reports that most oil marketers that operate in the airports across the country are not licensed by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA.

A development that have been ongoing in the country for a while until the recent discovery of a significant amount of water in the engine of one of Max Air’s Boeing B737 aircraft types last month, which subsequently led to their suspension by NCAA.

Aviation World reported that NCAA recently discovered some unapproved marketers who have been supplying petroleum products to some airlines in the country.

A source who pleaded anonymity had told Aviation World that, the authority has identified about three oil companies that sold jet A1 to Max Air during the course of its investigation.

But, the Chief Operating Officer, United Nigeria Airlines, UNA, Osita Okonkwo, has called on airlines to be vigilant in other to avert similar incidents in future.

While responding to questions regarding the development, at the just concluded League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents, LAAC, conference, Osita insisted that, the incident is a one-off thing, stressing that it’s not a universal or sector thing and should not be overblown.

In his words: “It’s an incident that happened, it could have come from the operator or from the marketing, the oil marketing. It is something that is a one-off and we have never experienced it in the two years of operations.

“So, I can’t really say how or why it happened. My understanding also is that most of these fuelers obtained the fuel from the same source. So, maybe the bowser is the one that has the issue or the point of loading or offloading that creates that kind of problem.

“The NCAA, the operators, the fuelers and the NNPC are all working on that and I don’t think we’ll ever see it again. What it simply means is that we should all be vigilant and all the pre-flight operations or activities must be done by operators, also by fuelers.

“They can’t assume that once the bowser comes up in the morning that everything is fine, you must do these things. And before the fuel enters your plane, you have to do the normal basic checks. These are standard operating procedures.”

Also, the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers, NAAPE, in a communique issued after their National Administrative Council and National Executive Council meeting, observes that there is an increased adulteration in aviation fuel, which has grave consequences on safety.