Lufthansa faces a phase of mishaps with Boeing. The US planemaker should have already delivered the new 787-9 and 777-9 to the German carrier, but for now these aircraft are far from its air network.
The new 777X, the world’s largest twin-engine passenger jet, is well behind schedule and is expected to enter service in 2025. Lufthansa is the launch customer for the 777-9 variant, from which it has ordered 20 aircraft that will be configured with 400 seats.
The Dreamliner, in turn, was expected for the end of 2021, but now the airline hopes to have the widebody in 2023. The company has 32 firm orders after increasing the total by seven aircraft last week.
This Thursday, the first 787-9 was finally shown by Lufthansa, at Boeing’s paintshop facility in the USA. Registered as D-ABPA, the aircraft was named after “Berlin”, the German capital.
The aircraft was originally manufactured for Hainan Airlines, which did not receive it, although it first flew in August 2019.
Later, Boeing passed it on to Vistara of India, but again the Dreamliner was not delivered. Apparently, the 787-9 should arrive at Lufthansa in the second half of the year, if the US manufacturer manages to release its delivery to the FAA.
