More delays in Dreamliner 787 expected

ORLANDO, Fla., March 12 (UPI) -- Airline industry analysts in Orlando said Wednesday they expected Boeing to announce further production delays for the Dreamliner 787.

Boeing has already announced two delays, pushing the delivery date to the point that airlines are now seeking alternative solutions, such as buying or leasing other aircraft, the Seattle Times reported.

The original plan called for delivery of 112 Dreamliners in 2009. In October, Boeing reduced that prediction to 109 and in January they announced more delays.

Customers, gathered at the International Society of Transport Aircraft Trading conference now wait for a production schedule that the company is to announce at the end of March.

But customers, who did not want to be named in public -- thus jeopardizing their relationship with Boeing -- are very skeptical, the report said.

"The production ramp-up is going to be slower" said an airplane leasing company executive. "It was always aggressive. Now it's not achievable," he said.

At the conference Wednesday, Boeing's marketing vice president, Randy Tinseth insisted that the delivery schedule announced in January would remain firm.

"Yeah, right," responded one executive. "There's the official position and then there's the unofficial position," he said.