Qatar Dreamliner Grounded on Fault Echoing United Jet’s
By Kari Lundgren - Dec 13, 2012 3:44 PM GMT+0100
Qatar Airways Ltd. said a 787 jet just handed over by Boeing Co. (BA) developed a problem similar to one that forced a United Continental Holdings Inc. (UAL) aircraft to make an emergency landing with a faulty generator.
Qatar Air’s third 787 exhibited the failure on its delivery flight from the U.S., Akbar Al Baker, the Gulf carrier’s chief executive officer, said today at London’s Heathrow airport. The plane has been grounded since Dec. 9 and may remain so for at least four days while Boeing sends spares and a recovery team.
“These problems are unacceptable because this aircraft has been flying for the last 14 months,” Al Baker said in an interview. “They have to get their act together very fast because we at Qatar Airways will not accept any more defects.”
A United 787 was forced to land on Dec. 4 following the failure of one of six generators. The composite-plastic model saves on fuel by not diverting air from the engines for power, instead using five times as much electricity as older jets.
“Two aircraft having the same problem -- the same major problem -- so quickly is a cause of concern,” Al Baker said, adding that Doha-based Qatar Air will ask Boeing to cover its losses. “Definitely we will demand compensation. We are not buying airplanes from them to put in a museum.”
Boeing ‘Aware’
Chicago-based Boeing said it’s cooperating with Qatar Air on the 787. “We are aware of the issue and are working with the customer at their request,” the manufacturer said.
Al Baker said the generator glitch is particularly galling given that the 787’s commercial debut was delayed for more than 3 1/2 years because of issues with new materials and production techniques, and because the model has been flying for so long.
“I don’t think there is any excuse,” said the executive, who was at London Heathrow following Qatar Air’s first flight there with another of its 787s. “There will be teething problems, yes, minor teething problems.”
Qatar Airways, the second biggest Gulf carrier, is due to get two more 787s on Dec. 19, taking the fleet to five, Al Baker said. That will increase to 10 by the end of 2013, compared with an original plan for 30 before the program delays, he said.
‘Falling Behind’
“Hopefully, with the ramp up of production at Boeing we will receive some more, but for that I will keep my fingers crossed,” the CEO said. “We have told Boeing that this kind of problem is unacceptable to us because we are already falling behind our expansion program.”
Holdups with the Dreamliner have already forced Qatar Air into a “huge upgrade program” for its Airbus SAS A330 planes in order to extend operations for at least three years, he said.
Still, the performance of 787s delivered has been “quite adequate,” Al Baker said, and Qatar Air has seen no evidence of a separate fuel-leak problem that led the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration to order more regular inspections.
“Boeing makes fine airplanes,” he said. “We hope we will always work with them as long as they satisfy our requirements.”
Al Baker said that Qatar Air has examined a bid for Czech Airlines AS after the Czech government last month revived attempts to find a buyer for the state-owned carrier.
“We looked at them, but rumors that Qatar Airways is about to conclude a deal with them are not true,” he said, adding that his airline is sometimes used as “bait to create interest.”
(Bloomberg)
By Kari Lundgren - Dec 13, 2012 3:44 PM GMT+0100
Qatar Airways Ltd. said a 787 jet just handed over by Boeing Co. (BA) developed a problem similar to one that forced a United Continental Holdings Inc. (UAL) aircraft to make an emergency landing with a faulty generator.
Qatar Air’s third 787 exhibited the failure on its delivery flight from the U.S., Akbar Al Baker, the Gulf carrier’s chief executive officer, said today at London’s Heathrow airport. The plane has been grounded since Dec. 9 and may remain so for at least four days while Boeing sends spares and a recovery team.
“These problems are unacceptable because this aircraft has been flying for the last 14 months,” Al Baker said in an interview. “They have to get their act together very fast because we at Qatar Airways will not accept any more defects.”
A United 787 was forced to land on Dec. 4 following the failure of one of six generators. The composite-plastic model saves on fuel by not diverting air from the engines for power, instead using five times as much electricity as older jets.
“Two aircraft having the same problem -- the same major problem -- so quickly is a cause of concern,” Al Baker said, adding that Doha-based Qatar Air will ask Boeing to cover its losses. “Definitely we will demand compensation. We are not buying airplanes from them to put in a museum.”
Boeing ‘Aware’
Chicago-based Boeing said it’s cooperating with Qatar Air on the 787. “We are aware of the issue and are working with the customer at their request,” the manufacturer said.
Al Baker said the generator glitch is particularly galling given that the 787’s commercial debut was delayed for more than 3 1/2 years because of issues with new materials and production techniques, and because the model has been flying for so long.
“I don’t think there is any excuse,” said the executive, who was at London Heathrow following Qatar Air’s first flight there with another of its 787s. “There will be teething problems, yes, minor teething problems.”
Qatar Airways, the second biggest Gulf carrier, is due to get two more 787s on Dec. 19, taking the fleet to five, Al Baker said. That will increase to 10 by the end of 2013, compared with an original plan for 30 before the program delays, he said.
‘Falling Behind’
“Hopefully, with the ramp up of production at Boeing we will receive some more, but for that I will keep my fingers crossed,” the CEO said. “We have told Boeing that this kind of problem is unacceptable to us because we are already falling behind our expansion program.”
Holdups with the Dreamliner have already forced Qatar Air into a “huge upgrade program” for its Airbus SAS A330 planes in order to extend operations for at least three years, he said.
Still, the performance of 787s delivered has been “quite adequate,” Al Baker said, and Qatar Air has seen no evidence of a separate fuel-leak problem that led the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration to order more regular inspections.
“Boeing makes fine airplanes,” he said. “We hope we will always work with them as long as they satisfy our requirements.”
Al Baker said that Qatar Air has examined a bid for Czech Airlines AS after the Czech government last month revived attempts to find a buyer for the state-owned carrier.
“We looked at them, but rumors that Qatar Airways is about to conclude a deal with them are not true,” he said, adding that his airline is sometimes used as “bait to create interest.”
(Bloomberg)
