Airlines around the world checked their Boeing aircraft on Saturday for potentially defective fuel pumps that could cause a fire or an explosion in the rare event that fuel tanks run dry.
A number of them ordered their pilots to fly with extra fuel to keep the pumps submerged, averting any risk of explosion.
EasyJet of Britain was the airline most affected on Saturday by a warning from US regulators that about 3,000 Boeing aircraft could be fitted with the suspect fuel pumps.
Europe's biggest no-frills airline said it had 18 Boeing 737-700 aircraft in its fleet, one of the types mentioned in the warning on fuel pumps.
Many airlines said they did not fly the models affected by the alert. Among them were Air France, Alitalia, British Airways, Lufthansa, SN Brussels, Swiss Air Lines, Cathay Pacific Airways, Thai Airways and Virgin's international service.
The pumps are used in wing fuel tanks on the Boeing 737-600, 737-700, 737-700C, 737-800, 737-900; 747; and 757 series.
The US Federal Aviation Administration warned that the pumps could cause a fire or an explosion in the rare event that fuel tanks run dry.
In Australia, Qantas Airways and the Virgin Blue domestic operator began inspecting their Boeing aircraft.
Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) said both airlines were also taking precautionary action, ordering all aircraft to fly with extra fuel.
A CASA spokesman said Qantas and Virgin Blue had taken delivery of new 737s this year. Qantas flew some older 747s, but these might have had faulty pumps fitted as replacements.
The technical chief of the Finnish flag carrier Finnair said it had seven 757s but that checks on fuel tanks would not affect service because safety guidelines could be met until any repair that was needed could be done.
The only other European airline that reported flying the types of planes affected was KLM, whose spokesman Frank Houben said it had found one Boeing plane fitted with the pump.
"The plane will be used for very short-distance flights. The pump will be replaced on Tuesday," said Houben. He said there was no risk involved in using the pumps on short hops.
Joseph Wu (
RSS