Unhappy with the performance of the swanky new
Boeing 787 “Dreamliner” aircraft due to “recurring technical snags”, a furious
civil aviation ministry and Air India have summoned Boeing Corporation’s top
brass to India, top aviation sources told this newspaper.
Sources said of the three Dreamliners received
so far, one or the other aircraft is usually grounded at a time due to some
snag. Such snags in new aircraft have puzzled the airline.
“Such snags in factory-fresh aircraft can affect
Air India operations. We are concerned,” top government sources said. Sources also
said Air India has sent an email to Boeing on the matter. A top Boeing team is
scheduled to arrive in India next week, the sources said.
“The Dreamliner dream is beginning to sour,” the
sources said. Boeing officials were unavailable for comment.
Sources said Air India had conveyed to Boeing
that the image of the airline could take a severe beating if such snags kept
occurring.
Air India's domestic market share has been
increasing steadily over the past few months and an ambitious plan of
international flight expansion was also worked out earlier.
The airline had earlier ordered for a total of
27 Boeing 787 dreamliner aircraft. The delivery schedule was also earlier
delayed considerably. The first of the aircraft was inducted in the national
carrier only in September this year.
These aircraft were earlier ordered with much
fanfare for their formidable reputation of being one of the most fuel-efficient
aircraft in the aviation market. “But we can take advantage of this only if the
snags stop,” pointed out a government source.
“There were no problems like this when the
airline received the Boeing 777s a few years ago,” sources added.
Air India had initially deployed the aircraft
for important domestic routes so that pilots could complete more landings and take-offs
with the aircraft.
But international flights on the dreamliner to
Frankfurt and Dubai have also started.
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