Jetstar Grounds Almost Half Its Boeing 787 Fleet

DALLAS - Jetstar (JQ) has been forced to ground four of its Boeing 787 ‘Dreamliners’ due to several technical issues.

In a statement, the airline blamed a series of freak events, including a lightning strike, a bird strike, and damage from a foreign object on the runway. The airline also revealed delays in sourcing “a specific spare part” for a particular airframe due to global supply chain issues.

The airline has lost half of its Dreamliner fleet due to technical issues. Photo: Boeing

Passengers Stranded

The move has led JQ to cancel eight return flights from Sydney (SYD) and Melbourne (MEL) to Bali (DPS) alone since September 1, leaving thousands of passengers stranded. Flights to Thailand and Japan have also been affected.

“Our teams are working hard to get passengers on their way as soon as possible – we are putting on five special services to bring people home and booking seats on Qantas flights also,” the airline added.

Jetstar currently has eleven 787-8s in its fleet. As well as the four recently grounded jets, a fifth has been out of service since June. A spokesperson said, “The first of the affected aircraft should return to service today (September 6), and the rest will gradually return as quickly as possible, but safety remains our top priority.”

Featured Image: The airline received its first 787 in October 2013. Photo: Jetstar