JAL and ANA ground all B787s for safety inspections in latest blow
Source: Agencies |
January 17, 2013, Thursday
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JAPAN'S two biggest airlines grounded all their Boeing 787 aircraft for safety checks yesterday after one was forced to make an emergency landing in the latest blow for the new jet.
All Nippon Airways said a cockpit message showed battery problems and a burning smell was detected in the cockpit and the cabin, forcing the domestic flight to land at Takamatsu airport in west Japan.
The 787, known as the Dreamliner, is Boeing's newest and most technologically advanced jet, and the company is counting heavily on its success. Since its launch, which came after delays of more than three years, the plane has been plagued by a series of problems including a battery fire and fuel leaks. Japan's ANA and Japan Airlines are major customers for the jet and among the first to fly it.
Japan's transport ministry said it got notices from ANA, which operates 17 of the jets, and JAL which has seven, that all their 787s would not be flying. The grounding was done voluntarily by the airlines.
The earliest manufactured jets of any new aircraft usually have problems and airlines run higher risks in flying them first, said Brendan Sobie, Singapore-based chief analyst at CAPA-Center for Aviation. Since about half the 787 fleet is in Japan, more problems are cropping up there.
"There are always teething problems with new aircraft and airlines often are reluctant to be the launch customer of any new airplanes," Sobie said. "We saw it with other airplane types, like the A380, but the issues with the A380 were different," he said.
Japan's transport ministry categorized yesterday's problem as a "serious incident" that could have led to an accident, and sent officials for further checks to Takamatsu airport. The airport was closed.
ANA executives apologized, bowing deeply at a hastily called news conference in Tokyo.
"We are very sorry to have caused passengers and their family members so much concern," said Senior Executive Vice President Osamu Shinobe.
One male in his 60s was taken to the hospital for minor hip injuries after going down the emergency slides at the airport, the fire department said. The other 128 passengers and eight crew members of the ANA domestic flight were uninjured, according to ANA.
The grounding in Japan was the first for the 787, whose problems had been brushed off by Boeing as teething pains for a new aircraft. The ministry had already started a separate check on Monday on another JAL 787 jet, which had leaked fuel at Tokyo's Narita airport after flying back from Boston, where it had also leaked fuel.
A fire started on January 7 in the battery pack of an auxiliary power unit of an empty JAL 787 at Boston's airport.
All Nippon Airways said a cockpit message showed battery problems and a burning smell was detected in the cockpit and the cabin, forcing the domestic flight to land at Takamatsu airport in west Japan.
The 787, known as the Dreamliner, is Boeing's newest and most technologically advanced jet, and the company is counting heavily on its success. Since its launch, which came after delays of more than three years, the plane has been plagued by a series of problems including a battery fire and fuel leaks. Japan's ANA and Japan Airlines are major customers for the jet and among the first to fly it.
Japan's transport ministry said it got notices from ANA, which operates 17 of the jets, and JAL which has seven, that all their 787s would not be flying. The grounding was done voluntarily by the airlines.
The earliest manufactured jets of any new aircraft usually have problems and airlines run higher risks in flying them first, said Brendan Sobie, Singapore-based chief analyst at CAPA-Center for Aviation. Since about half the 787 fleet is in Japan, more problems are cropping up there.
"There are always teething problems with new aircraft and airlines often are reluctant to be the launch customer of any new airplanes," Sobie said. "We saw it with other airplane types, like the A380, but the issues with the A380 were different," he said.
Japan's transport ministry categorized yesterday's problem as a "serious incident" that could have led to an accident, and sent officials for further checks to Takamatsu airport. The airport was closed.
ANA executives apologized, bowing deeply at a hastily called news conference in Tokyo.
"We are very sorry to have caused passengers and their family members so much concern," said Senior Executive Vice President Osamu Shinobe.
One male in his 60s was taken to the hospital for minor hip injuries after going down the emergency slides at the airport, the fire department said. The other 128 passengers and eight crew members of the ANA domestic flight were uninjured, according to ANA.
The grounding in Japan was the first for the 787, whose problems had been brushed off by Boeing as teething pains for a new aircraft. The ministry had already started a separate check on Monday on another JAL 787 jet, which had leaked fuel at Tokyo's Narita airport after flying back from Boston, where it had also leaked fuel.
A fire started on January 7 in the battery pack of an auxiliary power unit of an empty JAL 787 at Boston's airport.
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