The Indonesian government had ordered AirAsia Indonesia to pay out compensation to  the families of those onboard the ill-fated QZ8501 within seven days of identifying their bodies.

However, its Minister of Administrative Reform Yuddy Chrisnandi said the management will first have to identify the families or next-of-kins who are eligible for the compensation.

“Based on investigation, the compensation to families of bodies identified should not take more than seven working days,” he said when visiting the QZ8501 Crisis Centre, in Surabaya, Thursday.

He said the East Java police would assist in identifying the families and next-of-kins as there were cases of an entire family being onboard the aircraft.

Meanwhile, AirAsia Indonesia Safety director Raden Achmad Sadikin said the management will ensure that the compensation are paid out according to the procedure.

AirAsia Indonesia through several law experts and lawyers will identify the next-of-kin and families of whom the compensation money will be channeled to.

“We do not want the compensation money to fall in wrong hands. That is why we are examining this carefully and following the procedure,” he said.

AirAsia QZ8501 carrying 162 passengers and crew members crashed into the Java Sea on Dec 28.