Air Mekong in petrol debts, shutdown rumor  Private carrier Air Mekong has repeatedly failed to clear its petroleum payment with the Vietnam Air Petrol Co Ltd (Vinapco), and is rumored to be shut down. “We have sent eight documents to Air Mekong since Q4/2012 to urge debt clearance,” Vinapco CEO Hoang Manh Tuan confirmed with Tuoi Tre on Thursday. The airliner consumes some VND1.3 billion (US$62,500) worth of fuel on a daily basis for its fleet of four Bombardier CRJ-900 aircraft. Vinapco refused to elaborate on the exact debt of Air Mekong, while demanding that the airliner repay the petrol purchase on a daily basis, Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper reported. Air Mekong meanwhile has acquired a bank guarantee and is committed to settling all debts on January 15, the newspaper said. Vinapco said it holds the right to stop pumping fuel for Air Mekong, should the latter remain unable to clear the debts. Shutdown rumor The rumor saying that Air Mekong is likely to temporarily cease its flights, meanwhile, has been circulated among ticket agents as the airliner is only issuing tickets for flights departing from now to February 28, Nguoi Lao Dong reported. Customers are told that Air Mekong has yet to determine its March flight plan, so no tickets are available at the moment. Meanwhile, other airliners such as Jetstar Pacific and VietJet Air are selling tickets for flights departing in July, and Vietnam Airlines, even December. Worst scenario? Air Mekong is the third private-owned airliner in Vietnam, after Indochina Airlines, and VietJet Air. Launching its first flight on October 9, 2010, the airliner now offers 35 daily flights to its two most important destinations: Buon Ma Thuot and Phu Quoc. The carrier however has incurred greater losses than expected, and become debtors to many aviation service providers, Nguoi Lao Dong said. With the rumor spreading, insiders are concerned over the future of the carrier, given the infamous example of Indochina Airlines, the country’s first private carrier. Indochina Airlines, owned by musician Ha Dung, in December 2011 had its license canceled by the Ministry of Transport, three years after its first flight in November 2008. The airliner had to cease operation due to financial problems since November 1, 2009, and ended up failing to register the required capital and having no aircraft for operating. Tuoitrenews