Restoring the Reputation of Indonesian Airlines

Boeing is now facing the United States Congress. US Congressmen assume Boeing has covered up crucial information.

KOMPAS/ALIF ICHWAN

The National Transportation Safety Committee\'s (KNKT) subcommittee head for air accidents, Nurcahyo Utomo (left), accompanied by KNKT Chairman Soerjanto Tjahjono, explains the chronology of an aircraft accident during a press conference at the KNKT office, Jakarta, Friday (25/10/2019).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS – The United States Congress describe Boeing’s decision to cover up information as one of the factors behind the crash of planes belonging to Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines. The series of US Congress sessions dealing with Boeing isn’t over yet.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian government is encouraged to campaign for the reputation of flight safety in Indonesia. The result of an investigation by the National Committee on Transportation Safety (KNKT) related to the crash of a Boeing 737 MAX 8 PK-LQP flight JT-610 owned by Lion Air, which was released on Friday, confirmed that the accident was not solely the company’s fault.

“It’s important for Indonesia to maintain the reputation of the Indonesian aviation industry, which has been affected by the accident. The perception of aircraft users, particularly foreign tourists, toward Indonesian aviation should be restored,” said Aviatory Indonesia president director Ziva Narendra Arifin on Wednesday.

The perception of aircraft users, particularly foreign tourists, toward Indonesian aviation should be restored.

Twelve years ago, the European Union imposed a flight ban on Indonesian airlines. One of its impacts was the appeal to European passengers to avoid choosing Indonesian airlines for their flights.

Ziva added that Lion Air should be entitled to request government facilities in the restoration of its post-accident reputation. The KNKT’s investigation also revealed that the producer had not informed Lion Ait about the presence of the maneuvering characteristics augmentation system (MCAS) for the takeover of aircraft control.

“Lion Air also has the right to demand compensation from Boeing and FAA [US Federal Aviation Agency],” said Ziva.

The potential for loss comprises the value of investment and the loss of income caused by the grounding of B737 MAX 8 operated by Lion Air.

AFP/OLIVIER DOULIERY

Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg makes a statement to the media before testifying at a hearing in front of a congressional lawmakers on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on October 30, 2019.

Admission of fault

Boeing CEO Dennis Muilenburg conceded that Boeing had not given full information to pilots about the MCAS.

“We’ve been at fault,” said Muilenberg before the US Congress in Washington, DC, on Tuesday.

The Congressmen then blamed Muilenburg for having tried to deceive the Congress by making complicated accounts.

“What the US Senators have stated is precisely the same as the KNKT’s recommendation. The MCAS thus failed to function, there was no clear recommendation and so far, there has been no definite recommendation from Boeing as well as from the FAA,” said Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi.

Muilenburg again answered Congressmen’s questions on the second-day session on Wednesday. Peter DeFazio, chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, for instance, levelled a new allegation against Boeing.

Before the crash of B737 MAX JT-610, a Boeing manager was reported to have proposed the discontinuation of B737 MAX production because of the safety problem. Boeing ignored the proposal, even dismissing the manager.

Boeing had not given full information to pilots about the MCAS

The New York Times’ report also indicated that Boeing had succeeded in lobbying for the amendment of several paragraphs in the aviation administration law. The role of the government was finally reduced in the process of approving new aircraft designs.

For years, the US government has left greater responsibility to producers in the matters of aircraft designs to lower bureaucratic costs. Although the law applies to the entire industry, Boeing as the dominant aviation manufacturer in the US receives the greatest benefit.

Boeing’s performance has also been under pressure since the two accidents that involved the B737 MAX. The burden of this company since the mishaps, which claimed a total of 346 lives, is estimated to have reached US$8 billion.

Boeing’s plane delivery decreased in number by 47 percent to 302 aircraft in the first nine months of 2019. The delivery of 26 aircraft in September declined from 87 units in the previous year.

Before the ban on B737 MAX flights, Boeing set its delivery target at 900 aircraft this year. In 2019, Boeing has sent 806 units.

ANTARA FOTO/GALIH PRADIPTA

Families of victims of the Lion Air on flight JT-610 plane board the KRI Semarang 594 vessel to take part in a procession to spray flower petals at the crash site of the Lion Air plane at Tanjung Priok Port, Jakarta, Tuesday (29/10/2019). The activity event was held to commemorate the one year of the plane crash in Karawang waters on 28 October 2018.

Compensation fund

At the one-year commemoration of Lion Air’s JT-610 crash on Tuesday, a representative of Boeing, Ibrahim Senen, announced a compensation fund.

“Boeing has formed a compensation fund worth around $50 million for victims of Lion Air and Ethiopian Airlines. A total of $144,500 will be granted to each victim’s family, plus scholarships. This fund will be available until Dec. 31,” he said.

Read more : Safety Depends on Coordination

Anton Sahadi, 30, a member of one of the families of Lion Air’s crash victims, confirmed the aid from Boeing. At present, he and a number of family members of victims have submitted requests for the compensation fund through their attorneys.

(AP/REUTERS)