Air India has flown some of its Boeing Co. 787 Dreamliners in
the wake of the grounding of the global fleet triggered by U.S.
regulators on Jan. 16, after two battery fires hit the advanced new
jet.
The head of India's civil aviation authority said it gave the
flag carrier "special permission" for the flights, which didn't
carry passengers.
Three of its six Dreamliners were flown from Delhi to its
engineering base in Mumbai on Feb. 2, with another two transferred
in the days following last month's decision by U.S. regulators to
stop 787 flights.
A senior Air India executive confirmed the flights took place,
after consultation with Boeing, and said they were also motivated
by an effort to avoid high aircraft parking charges in Delhi.
Boeing declined to comment on the flights.
Air India's move is unusual as U.S. regulators extended the ban
to test and delivery flights, as well as commercial operations.
India's Director General of Civil Aviation, Arun Mishra, said
permission for the one-off flights was granted following a request
from Air India, so the jets could be maintained at its Mumbai
facility.
The Federal Aviation Administration has prohibited commercial,
test and delivery flights of U.S.-registered 787s since twin
lithium-ion battery incidents on Japan Airlines and All Nippon
Airways jets.
The FAA only has direct jurisdiction over passenger flights of
the six U.S.-based 787s operated by United Airlines parent, United
Continental Holdings Inc.
But it also needs to give its approval for test and delivery
flights, and the agency has set the pace for other countries.
The U.S. recommendation to ground the fleet on Jan. 16 was
immediately adopted by aviation regulators in six regions who fly
the 787. Some of the other seven 787 operators still have jets
stranded far from their home bases.
United Airlines has one Dreamliner in Tokyo, a Qatar Airways 787
is in London and LOT Polish Airlines has one stranded in Chicago,
after the grounding order was given as the carrier's inaugural
Dreamliner flight to the US was airborne.
FAA officials appear willing to consider non-passenger 787
flights under special conditions, according to people familiar with
the situation, but not until investigators pinpoint the root cause
of the battery problems.
Investigators and Boeing have provided no guidance on when the
787 might be cleared to re-enter service, and some carriers have
contingency plans for an extended grounding of the plane.
Anirban Chowdhury contributed to this article.
Write to Jon Ostrower at jon.ostrower@dowjones.com
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