Boeing is not expected to resume deliveries of the 787 Dreamliner until the second half of the year, according to Reuters sources. The US planemaker halted deliveries of the widebody from July 2021, due to manufacturing issues pointed out by the FAA, the US civil aviation authority.
The manufacturer has carried out repairs and inspections on the composite material structure of about 100 aircraft, but since February it has been prohibited by the FAA from self-certifying its planes.
According to people familiar with the matter, Boeing is expected to resume 787 deliveries in the third quarter – the company stopped making public forecasts after planning a resumption for April.
The interruption in deliveries of the 787 heavily affects its financial situation. In 2020, Boeing had delivered 53 Dreamliners while in 2021 there were only 14 aircraft, all of which were shipped to customers in the first half of the year.
The larger-capacity 787-10 model has not been delivered since October 2020 when Saudi Arabia and Etihad Airways each received one aircraft.
The delay has affected the strategy of several airlines such as American Airlines and United Airlines, which were forced to suspend long-haul routes due to lack of aircraft.
Boeing has 481 Dreamliner aircraft pending delivery in its backlog.
