Turbulence Ahead: Airline Executives Voice Frustration Over Ongoing Boeing 787 Delays

Turbulence Ahead: Airline Executives Voice Frustration Over Ongoing Boeing 787 Delays - FAA Approval Remains Elusive

The ongoing saga of Boeing's troubled 787 Dreamliner took another frustrating turn recently as the company's hopes for imminent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval were dashed yet again. Despite Boeing's assurances that solutions had been found to fix the plane's faulty electrical system and lithium ion batteries, the FAA remains unsatisfied and unwilling to allow the 787 back into commercial airline service.

This is just the latest roadblock in what has been a long and winding path to get Boeing's state-of-the-art aircraft into the skies. The 787 was originally slated to enter service back in 2008, but a series of production and design issues led to delay after delay, pushing the in-service date back by more than three years. Now, with the plane grounded indefinitely since January after battery fires on two Japanese airlines, the finish line seems farther away than ever.

Understandably, both airline executives and the flying public are growing weary of the constant setbacks. Carriers who have staked their futures on the 787's long-haul capabilities have been forced to cancel flights and rearrange schedules, while some have even sought compensation from Boeing. As delays drag on, airlines are missing out on projected revenues and profitability improvements that factored in the 787's superior operating economics.

The FAA, for its part, can hardly be blamed for taking a cautious approach. With two fiery battery malfunctions in the 787's brief service history, it's clear that a fix is needed before passengers and crew can safely return to the jet. However, the agency also recognizes that the sooner the Dreamliner can return to operations, the better for airlines, manufacturers, and the overall industry.

Turbulence Ahead: Airline Executives Voice Frustration Over Ongoing Boeing 787 Delays - Airlines Forced to Ground 787 Fleets

When the FAA issued its emergency airworthiness directive grounding all 787s in January, it set off a mad scramble for airlines operating the Dreamliner. Overnight, carriers were forced to abruptly cancel flights and find alternate aircraft to cover planned 787 routes. This had the biggest impact on Japan's All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines, the world's two largest 787 operators at the time.

ANA, which was the original launch customer for the 787 and had built its marketing strategy around the plane, was forced to cancel over 3,400 domestic and international flights. This led to major disruptions, with aircraft and crews stranded away from home bases. ANA managed to lease some 777s to fill in, but with over a dozen Dreamliners in its fleet, it still had to axe a considerable portion of flights.

JAL faced similar struggles, with about a quarter of its domestic routes utilizing 787s. It too turned to leasing replacement aircraft, but canceled nearly 900 flights in the months after the grounding.

In the US, United Airlines had six Dreamliners at the time and was forced to delay new international routes that planned to use the 787. Without enough spare widebodies to stand in, United cut some frequencies across the Pacific.

Air India, LOT Polish Airlines, Qatar Airways and LAN Airlines were also early Dreamliner operators forced to ground small fleets of 787s. This led to scheduling headaches, although the modest number of affected aircraft limited the disruption relative to ANA and JAL.

The common thread was airlines left scrambling to find short notice alternatives. With most substitute jets already profitably deployed, covering the 787's absence came at a high cost. What's more, replacement aircraft often lacked the 787's fuel efficiency and passenger amenities.