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Maybe A320s need locking gas caps?
Police investigating fuel theft from plane at jetport
Witnesses report seeing a now-fired fuel-vendor worker siphoning from a JetBlue aircraft.
An airport worker is being investigated by police for allegedly siphoning jet fuel from JetBlue Airways aircraft for use as heating fuel.
The company reported the theft to police this week after witnesses reported seeing the man siphoning fuel from an Airbus 320 into a five-gallon jug at Portland International Jetport. Airline officials said they were aware of thefts on Monday and on April 28, although it was not clear why the theft went unreported after the earlier incident.
The airline told authorities that it believes the man stole at least 25 gallons, worth about $160 at the spot rate for jet fuel of roughly $6 per gallon, although airlines pay less.
The cost to the airline was greater, however. Airline maintenance crews discovered a loose fuel cap assembly Monday and had to delay a 6 a.m. flight to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York for about 30 minutes.
The company said the delay cost almost $3,000 in additional operating costs, including paying crews to stay past the scheduled end of the shift, and might have delayed other flights.
It also inconvenienced the passengers on the nearly full 150-seat aircraft.
But it was the unauthorized touching of the jet that upset the airline.
"We treat the security of our crew members, customers and aircraft as our No. 1 priority," said JetBlue spokeswoman Jenny Dervin. "Unauthorized work or touching of the aircraft is something we watch for."
Dervin said the security system at the jetport worked, because a suspect was identified and apprehended.
The employee had passed a background check, which is required for all workers with access to the restricted area, Dervin said.
Police did not release the man's name because he has not been charged. The man did not work for the airline but for another airport vendor, Northeast Air, which provides fuel for airlines, Dervin said.
A telephone call to Northeast Air was not returned, but police and JetBlue said the man has since been fired.
Police said the man told the airline that he was burning the jet fuel for heat.
Jet fuel actually is less flammable than gasoline and is more like kerosene, said Portland fire officials and the airline spokeswoman. Kerosene is routinely used as a heating fuel.
The theft itself would be only a misdemeanor, although it is unclear what charges might be associated with causing the flight delay or unauthorized tampering with an aircraft.
Staff Writer David Hench can be contacted at 791-6327 or at:
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=188263&ac=PHnws
Police investigating fuel theft from plane at jetport
Witnesses report seeing a now-fired fuel-vendor worker siphoning from a JetBlue aircraft.
An airport worker is being investigated by police for allegedly siphoning jet fuel from JetBlue Airways aircraft for use as heating fuel.
The company reported the theft to police this week after witnesses reported seeing the man siphoning fuel from an Airbus 320 into a five-gallon jug at Portland International Jetport. Airline officials said they were aware of thefts on Monday and on April 28, although it was not clear why the theft went unreported after the earlier incident.
The airline told authorities that it believes the man stole at least 25 gallons, worth about $160 at the spot rate for jet fuel of roughly $6 per gallon, although airlines pay less.
The cost to the airline was greater, however. Airline maintenance crews discovered a loose fuel cap assembly Monday and had to delay a 6 a.m. flight to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York for about 30 minutes.
The company said the delay cost almost $3,000 in additional operating costs, including paying crews to stay past the scheduled end of the shift, and might have delayed other flights.
It also inconvenienced the passengers on the nearly full 150-seat aircraft.
But it was the unauthorized touching of the jet that upset the airline.
"We treat the security of our crew members, customers and aircraft as our No. 1 priority," said JetBlue spokeswoman Jenny Dervin. "Unauthorized work or touching of the aircraft is something we watch for."
Dervin said the security system at the jetport worked, because a suspect was identified and apprehended.
The employee had passed a background check, which is required for all workers with access to the restricted area, Dervin said.
Police did not release the man's name because he has not been charged. The man did not work for the airline but for another airport vendor, Northeast Air, which provides fuel for airlines, Dervin said.
A telephone call to Northeast Air was not returned, but police and JetBlue said the man has since been fired.
Police said the man told the airline that he was burning the jet fuel for heat.
Jet fuel actually is less flammable than gasoline and is more like kerosene, said Portland fire officials and the airline spokeswoman. Kerosene is routinely used as a heating fuel.
The theft itself would be only a misdemeanor, although it is unclear what charges might be associated with causing the flight delay or unauthorized tampering with an aircraft.
Staff Writer David Hench can be contacted at 791-6327 or at:
http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=188263&ac=PHnws
