Dreamliner grounded by FAA over safety concerns

GlobalPost

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in the US has halted all Boeing 787 Dreamliner flights among US carriers after safety concerns.

The announcement came after numerous incidents involving the aircraft this week, including a battery fire, a cracked windshield, fuel leaks and computer problems, said the Los Angeles Times.

United Airlines is the only American carrier using the 787 and will be the only airline affected by the directive.

The FAA said in a statement that Boeing would have to prove the safety of its batteries before flights could resume, said NBC News.

"We are confident the 787 is safe and we stand behind its overall integrity," said Boeing CEO Jim McNerney in a statement, reported NBC.

"We will be taking every necessary step in the coming days to assure our customers and the traveling public of the 787's safety and to return the airplanes to service."

Though the announcement only affects United Airlines, two airlines in Japan that operate the 787 grounded the aircraft after an emergency landing in recent days.

Japanese authorities said that during a recent flight the instrument panel began showing warning signs in an incident called "highly serious."

Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways operate half of the 50 new Dreamliners in service.

Air India has six and Indian authorities are still deciding whether or not to ground their 787s.

The Dreamliner was to be a revolutionary aircraft, using 20 percent less fuel than others due to its lightweight build and use of battery power.

Boeing's shares fell two percent Wednesday during after-hours trading to $72.75, said Reuters.

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