Mideast carriers face new delay on 787 deliveries

Middle East airlines with Boeing 787s on order will have to wait longer for aircraft deliveries after the US planemaker announced its latest production delay on Tuesday.

Boeing revealed the first flight and subsequent delivery would be rescheduled for continued work on the aircraft’s side-of-body section. The company, which has already delayed deliveries by around 18 months, said it would take several weeks to determine how long the latest setback will last.

A Boeing statement said: “The need was identified during the recent regularly scheduled tests on the full-scale static test airplane. Preliminary analysis indicated that flight test could proceed this month as planned.

“However, after further testing and consideration of possible modified flight test plans, the decision was made late last week that first flight should instead be postponed until productive flight testing could occur.

“First flight and first delivery will be rescheduled following the final determination of the required modification and testing plan,” Boeing added. “It will be several weeks before the new schedule is available.

“The 787 team will continue with other aspects of testing on Airplane no1, including final gauntlet testing and low-speed taxiing. Work will also continue on the other five flight test aircraft and the subsequent aircraft in the production system.”

Scott Carson, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said the company considered a temporary solution to ensure the first 787 flight went ahead on time. But a team of experts decided additional work was required.

“Structural modifications like these are not uncommon in the development of new airplanes, and this is not an issue related to our choice of materials or the assembly and installation work of our team,” he said.

The news is likely to disappoint Qatar Airways chief executive Akbar Al Baker, who blasted Boeing during the Paris Airshow last week for delaying its 787 deliveries.

When speaking to the media, Al Baker said the company was “not run by commercial people but by bean counters and lawyers”.

He added the airline had “serious issues” with Boeing and warned the US company that it will be in for a “very, very serious surprise" if it fails to settle the 787 issue.

The Doha carrier has 60 Dreamliner 787s on order among the 92 aircraft bookings that it has lodged with Boeing. It is also expecting to receive 32 Boeing 777s from the US manufacturer as part of the total order.

Etihad Airways, which announced an engine deal last week that could rise to $14bn, has 35 787s on order while Gulf Air is awaiting 24.

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