ANA, JAL Ground Dreamliners for Inspection
On the heels of an emergency landing at a Japanese airport by an ANA Dreamliner, Japan’s two largest airlines, ANA and Japan Airlines, announced they would ground their Dreamliner flights on Wednesday for inspection.
The emergency landing took place after an alarm indicated a problem with batteries used in the plane. Passengers evacuated the aircraft on emergency slides at Takamatsu Airport after smoke was detected.
The Dreamliner has had a series of problems with electrical systems that have placed the new, high-tech aircraft under intense scrutiny.
Last Friday, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration announced a probe into the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, focusing on safety and reliability issues. Earlier in the week, a separate investigation was launched by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board into an onboard electrical fire on a Japan Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner in Boston on Monday, after United Airlines said it had discovered an electrical problem in one of its 787s that could result in a similar problem.
Other airlines operating the 787, including United Airlines, Qatar Airways, and LOT Polish Airways, which is scheduled to have its first transatlantic Dreamliner flight tomorrow, did not indicate if they would take any specific action based on the latest events.
(Photo: Accura Media Group)