Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Air India Seeks $1bn Compensation from Boeing for 787 Delay

It seems that all the delays that prevented Air India from inducting 787 Dreamliner into their fleet are going to pay well! India’s Aviation Ministry has asked the Boeing Co. to cough up as much as one billon dollars for the delay in delivering the Dreamliner!

A senior airline official reveals that the American company has already agreed to pay half of that amount and the negotiations are underway to make it almost a billion dollar compensation.

India’s flag carrier, Air India is most likely to get the delivery of its first Dreamliner in May. And if something goes wrong and the aircraft delivery date is pushed further away then the compensation by all means will spiral upwards, something that the ministry official made very clear. And given the fact that Boeing has still to procure the needed certification for the 787 engines from US regulators, it doesn’t seem an altogether improbable scenario either.

Boeing 787 Dreamliner is widely regarded as the world’s most fuel efficient aircraft and many airlines all over the world have opted to include this airliner in their fleet. However, Boeing's Dreamliner project has faced several delays due to technical snags.

Air India, popular among patrons as a top choice for flights to India, had ordered 27 Dreamliners few years back but is yet to receive the delivery. Dreamliner, being regarded as a highly fuel efficient aircraft, is likely to save money on fuel costs for the airlines, something AI is counting on. Even travel enthusiasts, who look for tickets on cheap flights to India, can afford to remain hopeful once the Dreamliner is plied on long-haul routes.

Boeing 787 will be displayed at the Indian Aviation Show 2012, which kicks off today in Hyderabad.

Reference

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