Grounded and Stranded: Where in the World are the Delivered Dreamliners?

MIAMI — After an ANA Boeing 787 Dreamliner made an emergency landing in Japan on January 15^th,  both ANA and JAL immediately grounded their 787 fleets for inspection. Twenty-four hours later, all 50 Dreamliners in revenue service were grounded even if they were a few thousand miles away from home. Airlines have had to cancel flights and scramble to find replacement aircraft in order to cope with the grounding. Depending on the size of the airlines’ 787 fleet, airlines are losing a lot of money. As Boeing continues to look for a solution to the battery issues, we can only speculate how long the Dreamliners will remain grounded.

Now, where do you park 50 787 Dreamliners?

Air India

Air India is planning to sell off their Dreamliners to raise capital. If they are successful, they will take them back on lease for 12 years. On February 4, Air India was allowed to fly their Dreamliners to their maintenance base in Mumbai where they are currently being stored. Also, it has been reported they are in talks with Boeing for compensation.

All Nippon Airways

On January 15^th, ANA 787 JA804A made an emergency landing in Japan due to a battery fire, and, shortly after the incident, ANA grounded their 787 fleet to investigate the issues. The New York Times reported last month that ANA has had to replace ten 787 batteries between May and December 2012 which has caused many safety experts to be concerned. As the largest 787 operator, it is estimated they will lose a sizable percentage of their annual revenue, but, in January, they lost a staggering $15.4 million due to the groundings.

Ethiopian Airlines

Ethiopian Airlines has remained relatively quiet about the 787 problems. However, they followed the FAA’s decision and grounded their 787 fleet.

Japan Airlines

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On January 7^th, a JAL Boeing 787, JA829J, battery caught on fire in Boston (where it remains), and, the next day, a different JAL Boeing 787 experienced a fuel leak also in Boston. Since the incidents, JAL has remained relatively quiet about the issues. They are working with government authorities to investigate the cause of the January 7th battery fire.

Registration	Delivery Date	Grounded In:
JA822J	3/25/2012	Nartita (RJAA/NRT)
JA824J	9/24/2012	Nartita (RJAA/NRT)
JA825J	3/25/2012	Haneda (RJTT/HND)
JA826J	4/25/2012	Nartita (RJAA/NRT)
JA827J	4/25/2012	Nartita (RJAA/NRT)
JA828J	9/3/2012	Nartita (RJAA/NRT)
JA829J	12/20/2012	Boston (KBOS/BOS)

LAN Airlines

LAN Airlines has also remained relatively quiet about the 787 problems, but they are keeping their 787s grounded until further notice.

LOT Polish Airlines

LOT has grounded their two 787s until October, and they are not going to place their 787s in the summer schedule until Boeing has a clear understanding of what is causing the problem. On January 15, they flew their inaugural 787 flight from Warsaw to Chicago, but, due to the grounding, the LOT 787 has remained on the ground in Chicago. Due to financial issues, LOT is trying to cut costs and plan mass layoffs in an effort to survive, and, like other airlines, they need their 787s in the air. LOT is reportedly in talks with Boeing about compensation.

Qatar Airways

United Airlines

United has remained quiet about the 787 problems, and their 787s have remained grounded since the FAA mandated the grounding. The New York Times reported from September 2012 to December 2012, United has had to replace three 787 batteries, and safety officials are quite concerned. Similarly in December, a United 787 from Houston to Newark experienced a battery problem, and the flight was diverted to New Orleans. On March 31, United is supposed to operate their new nonstop service from Denver to Tokyo with their 787, but many are questioning what will happen if the Dreamliner is still grounded.

Boeing Field, Paine Field, and Charleston

Both Boeing Field, Paine Field, and Charleston all have several 787s parked on the flight line as Boeing is delaying all 787 deliveries until they have a solution to the battery problem.If you were to visit the either of the airport, you can see the 787 in different stages. However, Boeing Field is the base for the 787 test flights that the FAA has permitted.

Be sure to follow our Grounding Timeline for the latest 787 news!