Boeing Addressing Fresh Concerns Over 787 Dreamliner

Boeing said on Friday it was working to address questions about its 787 Dreamliner from US regulators after The Wall Street Journal reported the company had again halted deliveries of the jet.

A Boeing spokesperson said there was no impact on 787 planes already in service. With approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Boeing had resumed deliveries of the widebody Dreamliner in March after a five-month pause to address production problems.

"We are working to provide the FAA with additional information concerning the analysis and documentation associated with the verification work on undelivered 787s," a Boeing spokesperson said.

"We continue to work closely with the FAA in a transparent and timely manner."

The latest suspension of deliveries came after the FAA sought more information about Boeing's system for inspecting the 787 for previously-identified quality issues, The Wall Street Journal said, citing people familiar with the matter.

Until the agency's questions are satisfied about more targeted inspections, the FAA is requiring Boeing to undertake broad inspections that are time-consuming and labor-intensive, the newspaper reported.

The Journal also described a number of quality issues, including gaps where the plane's body joins together.

The FAA did not have an immediate response to a query from AFP.

Boeing has described this year as "inflection point" for the aviation industry, with its recovery hopes boosted by Covid-19 vaccinations after the pandemic devastated travel demand in 2020.

The company's prospects have also improved since the FAA cleared the 737 MAX to resume service in November after a 20-month grounding following two fatal crashes.

But Boeing's recovery has hit speedbumps due to production interruptions on both the MAX and the Dreamliner.

Boeing had halted deliveries of the MAX for about six weeks this spring due to electrical problems discovered during the manufacturing process.

The company resumed deliveries earlier this month after the FAA approved the company's fix for the issue. (AFP)