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Qantas is prepared for the possibility of further 787 delays but has not received formal notification from Boeing that the aircraft slated for delivery later this year will be arriving late.
Jetstar is set to receive the first of 14 787-8s under order by the Qantas Group in August. Those aircraft are to replace A330-200s on loan from the Qantas mainline fleet. The A330s will be shifted back to Qantas, allowing for the retirement of aging Boing 767-300ERs.
A further delay in the arrival of the 787s would mean keeping the 767s in service longer, Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said this week.
Boeing has continued producing 787s since the model was grounded by the FAA over battery issues in mid-January. Boeing officials have expressed confidence the plane will soon by cleared for a return to service after detailing a series of fixes to the batteries, which are not normally used in flight.
Mr. Joyce this week said Qantas had been told its 787s would be fitted with the new battery design meant to prevent the overheating that led to a pair of incidents in January.
“We expect that will probably take a bit of a delay, we don’t know what that length will be yet,” Mr. Joyce told The Australian. “But we then have to make sure that we’re comfortable with that design and that process before we agree to accept it.
