USAir Adds Precautions to Ensure Their Jetliners Have Enough Fuel

USAir is adding two steps to its preflight refueling procedures after reports that nine of its planes had left airport gates with insufficient fuel aboard, a company spokesman said Friday.

The airline is now instructing its gate agents to orally confer with the cockpit crew on how much fuel is aboard before the flight is turned over to the flight crew and the plane’s door is shut, said spokesman Richard Weintraub.

In addition, Weintraub said, the pilot or first officer will confirm the amount of fuel in pounds as the final step while the plane is on the tarmac before it pulls onto the runway for takeoff, Weintraub said.

The two new checks are being added to two already existing checkoffs made by USAir flight crews. “This is just a redundancy, frankly, to assure those in the public who might have any lingering doubts about the integrity of the fuel checks,” he said.

Three weeks ago, the New York Times reported that nine USAir flights had left their gates with insufficient fuel aboard during a 16-month period and one had to make an emergency landing.