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Boeing suggests solution to Dreamliner battery problem

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Boeing suggests solution to Dreamliner battery problem

By Phil Davies

Boeing suggests solution to Dreamliner battery problemBoeing has presented measures it hopes will get the Dreamliner back in the air to the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

The aircraft manufacturer proposed ways to fix the 787’s battery problems which have led to its grounding at a meeting with the FAA on Friday.

Boeing is reported to believe the measures could have the aircraft flying by late March or April.

However, the cause of overheating in a lithium-ion battery on a Japan Airlines 787 has yet to be identified.

The 50 Dreamliners in service around the world have been grounded since January 16 after a battery fire on the Japan Airlines 787 parked at Boston and an emergency landing by an All Nippon Airways aircraft in Japan.

Investigators believe a short circuit in one of the battery cells caused overheating that led to the fire which then spread through the battery.

Boeing has proposed insulating the battery’s lithium-ion cells from one another to prevent fire spreading, encasing the battery in a fire-proof shell and installing sensors.

It also proposes a venting mechanism to remove fumes which led to the emergency landing.

Japanese investigators have identified the likely cause of the fumes which led to the emergency landing, reporting they found faulty wiring on the battery of the All Nippon Airways 787.

The aircraft’s auxiliary power unit was incorrectly connected to the main battery. However, the root cause of the battery fire in Boston has not been found.

Japanese transport minister Akihiro Ohta said: “It’s too early to say we are over the hump.”

Aviation analyst Douglas McNeill told the BBC: “Until it’s crystal clear what went wrong the FAA will be reluctant to let the 787s resume [flying].”

US transport secretary Ray LaHood has warned the 787 will not fly again until the FAA is “1,000% sure” the batteries are safe.

Meanwhile, All Nippon Airways is cancelling all Boeing 787 Dreamliner flights until at least the end of May.

More than 1,700 flights in April and May are affected, a period that includes Japan’s Golden Week holiday. This takes the total number of affected ANA Dreamliner flights to 3,600.

An ANA spokeswoman told the BBC: “Unfortunately, it includes Golden Week, but we have decided to inform our customers in advance as the prospect for their resumption is still unseen.”

ANA is Boeing’s biggest Dreamliner customer, with 17 of the world’s 50 operational 787s.all of which have been grounded. International regulators grounded all Dreamliners last month in so that safety checks could be carried out on their lithium ion batteries.

Airbus opts for ‘Plan B’ for A350 after 787 battery problem

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Airbus opts for ‘Plan B’ for A350 after 787 battery problem

By Phil Davies

Airbus opts for 'Plan B' for A350 after 787 battery problemAirbus will not use lithium-ion batteries in its forthcoming A350 aircraft because of problems that have grounded rival Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner.

The European manufacturer is to use traditional nickel-cadmium batteries instead, as already used in the A380 superjumbo and other models.

Investigations are continuing after battery problems came to light on 787s operated by Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways which left 50 Dreamliners grounded around the world.

Airbus said it was “confident” that the lithium-ion battery it had been developing with French battery-maker Saft was “robust and safe”.

It added that A350 test flights would continue with the lithium batteries.

“However, to date, the root causes of the two recent industry Li-ion main batteries incidents remain unexplained to the best of our knowledge,” Airbus said.

“In this context, and with a view to ensuring the highest level of programme certainty, Airbus has decided to activate its Plan B and therefore to revert back to the proven and mastered nickel-cadmium main batteries for its A350 XWB programme at entry into service.

“Airbus considers this to be the most appropriate way forward in the interest of programme execution and A350 XWB reliability.”

The firm said it did not expect any further delays to the launch of the A350, intended as a rival to the 787. The maiden flight is due to take place later this year, with the first passenger flight expected in the second half of 2014, the BBC reported.

Thomson limits Dreamliner refunds to £10 premium

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Thomson limits Dreamliner refunds to £10 premium

By Phil Davies

Thomson limits Dreamliner refunds to £10 premiumThomson is to refund only the £10 premium paid by passengers per flight if their holidays are affected by delayed delivery of the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

Boeing has told Thomson that its first Dreamliner will not be delivered as scheduled this month because of on-going safety tests which have grounded all 50 aircraft in service around the world.

Thomson has warned consumers that if delivery is delayed beyond March it may not be able to offer Dreamliner flights to Florida and Mexico as planned from May.

The Tui Travel airline is working on contingency plans which may include using 767s on the long-haul services.

Holidaymakers paid extra for Dreamliner flights, and many booked premium seats that they may or may not be able to get on the replacement flights.

Thomson has said that if it can’t offer customers the Dreamliner flight they paid for, it will refund the £10 per person per flight premium it charged.

The company will also try to offer customers who paid for premium seats on the Dreamliner an equivalent seat on a replacement aircraft. If this is not possible, it will refund the difference.

Thomson says normal terms and conditions apply to anyone wanting to change flights or cancel their holiday because they no longer want to fly on the Dreamliner.

This means paying an amendment fee of £50 per person, up to 21 days before departure, to change flights. After that it would be 90% to 100% of the original cost.

Anyone wanting to cancel their holiday would lose their deposit. Those opting to cancel 69 days or less before departure would lose their deposit and have to pay a cancellation fee.

Thomson said normal terms and conditions applied because it had every faith in Boeing’s ability to fix the safety issues, and once the Dreamliner was back in service Thomson would have “absolutely no hesitation in flying it,” consumer watchdog Which? reported.