Boeing has told customers expecting delivery of its troubled 787 Dreamliner jets to expect delays, suggesting the company is no longer expecting a quick resolution to the battery problems that have grounded the hi-tech airliners.
Executives at Thomson Airways, owned by Britain's TUI Travel, and Norwegian Air Shuttle, two budget airlines, told Reuters Friday that they had been told the delivery of their 787s would be delayed.
Thomson's jet were originally scheduled for the end of February but that delivery had been "moved out of the month" and no new delivery date was given.
Norwegian Air Shuttle told Reuters Boeing had informed it that its planes would be delayed by the ongoing investigation by the US's National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) into the battery fires. No new delivery date was mentioned.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which must re-certify the 787, is now waiting for a report from the NTSB that chairman Deborah Hersman said yesterday should be ready in 30 days.
Last month Norwegian Air's chief executive Bjorn Kjos said he was expecting his 787s by April and that Boeing was sure it would soon fix its battery issues. "They say it is going to be fixed soon; they have a plan. They say it will be delivered according to the schedule," he told reporters at the Airline Economics conference in Dublin.
A Boeing spokeswoman said: "We have informed our customers expecting 787 deliveries in the near term that those aircraft either have been or are at risk of being delayed. We are staying in close communication with our customers as we work towards an approved means of compliance with the FAA Airworthiness Directive and develop a plan for resumption of 787 deliveries.
"Boeing deeply regrets the impact that recent events have had on the schedules of our customers and their passengers."
The 787 has been grounded since a battery fire on a Japanese Airlines flight in Boston last month and a second incident involving a battery on a flight in Japan.
Thomson had planned to start using its Dreamliners in May and launched an advertising campaign in Britain last April calling the 787 the "future of long-haul travel".
Last year Thomson boss Chris Browne told The Guardian the 787 addressed the airlines "biggest source of complaints" comfort, legroom and entertainment on long-haul holidays. "So we had to do something. It was a scary decision, but man, are we glad," she said. Thomson was the third customer to commit to the 787, she said and Thomson "got a fantastic deal from Boeing. I wouldn't like to buy it today – and I love shopping."
Norwegian was scheduled to receive the first of eight Dreamliners in April and the firm has already sold deeply discounted tickets for its first overseas flights as it aims to take on traditional legacy carriers.
Thomson said its contingency plans included using alternative aircraft for its long-haul flights to Mexico and Florida if delivery was delayed beyond the end of March.
TUI Travel told Reuters on Thursday it had no plans to cancel its order for 13 Dreamliner jets.
British Airways, owned by International Airlines Group, said it was in discussions with Boeing but that the first of its 787 planes were still scheduled to be delivered in May.
Virgin Atlantic said delivery of its 16 Dreamliners starting in summer 2014 was unchanged.
