Guadalajara -
Boeing's 787 Dreamliner may leak aviation fuel, but no one's worried about it at Aeroméxico.
Last summer the nation's flag carrier signed an $11 billion contract with Boeing for new aircraft, including ten 787s (Aeroméxico places order with Boeing). That order was later increased to 19 of the state of the art jets.
Today a spokesmen for Grupo Aeroméxico said the company has "absolute confidence in the company and its products." The first Dreamliner will be delivered to the airline this summer.
Manufacture of the 787 was plagued with numerous delays and setbacks. The first unit was delivered to a Japanese carrier in late 2011, several years behind schedule.
In recent weeks many of the aircraft have leaked fuel profusely, and now problems with batteries have been reported. The Federal Aviation Agency ordered U.S. carriers to ground the Dreamliner while the problem is isolated and fixed, and recommended that foreign flag carriers do likewise. Boeing called the issue "normal" for a new and complex aircraft, promising to resolve it quickly. Most international purchasers say they remain fully committed to the composite frame 787, which Boeing claims is the lightest and most fuel efficient jet in the air.
President Enrique Peña Nieto will get to break in a new 787 which Mexico purchased last year for its executive fleet. The price tag has caused some political waves here, although the aircraft was bought by the previous administration (Enrique Peña Nieto will travel in style, aboard Boeing 787 Dreamliner).
Jan. 19 - Peña Nieto's new Dreamliner will be delivered with the fuel leak fixed, this writer says - and with a price tag of almost $6 billion pesos. At the current exchange rate, that's about $475 million US.
All Nippon Airways
全日本空輸
Zen Nippon Kūyu
Jan. 21 - Japan's All Nippon Airways will have to cancel 335 flights after grounding its entire 787 fleet. The cancellations will affect nearly 50,000 travelers. Sounds like a lawsuit - or an insurance claim. If so, it won't be any problem for Boeing. A financial services reporter writes today that as of Sept. 30, the Everett, Washington manufacturer had $10 billion in cash on hand, and a $4.6 billion revolving line of credit. Moreover, it received 1,203 aircraft orders in 2012 - the second largest in its 97 year history.
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