Boeing 787 deliveries to American Airlines have been further pushed back and now will not begin until 2014.
The carrier reported in a 21 July filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission that the delay was "due to the impact of the overall Boeing 787 programme delay on American's delivery positions".
When American originally announced its order for 42 787-9s in October 2008, it planned to take delivery of the first aircraft in 2012. In a April 2009 SEC filing, the Chicago-based carrier reported first delivery had been pushed back to the second half of 2013 due to programme delays and the late 2008 machinists strike.
Under the newly revised schedule, deliveries of the 42 787-9s on firm order will now take place from 2014 to 2020. Under the original schedule, the last of these aircraft were to be delivered in 2018.
The original deal also included rights to purchase up to 58 more aircraft that would be delivered from 2015 to 2020. American now says these aircraft, if purchased, would be delivered from 2016 to 2021.
Under the agreement with Boeing, American reports that it is not required to buy an individual 787-9 "unless it gives Boeing notice confirming its election to do so at least 18 months prior to the scheduled delivery date for that aircraft".
The airline can exercise these confirmation rights until May 1, 2014. But it also notes that the rights "will terminate earlier if American reaches a collective bargaining agreement with its pilots union that includes provisions enabling American to utilise the 787-9 to American's satisfaction in the operations desired by American, or if American confirms its election to purchase any of the initial 42 787-9 aircraft."
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
