CHICAGO, Aug. 27 (UPI) -- U.S. plane maker Boeing announced a sixth delay in delivery of the first 787 Dreamliner airplanes due to a lack of engines for test flights.
Boeing said it would suffer no financial setback with the delay, but airlines with Dreamliners on order "will be quick to look for compensation," said industry analyst Saj Ahmad at FBE Aerospace, The New York Times reported Friday.
"The 787 has been delayed almost three years and it's an unacceptable situation for many, particularly as many carriers are witnessing a rise in traffic numbers," Ahmad said.
The first in line on the customer list, All Nippon Airlines, said it was "regrettable" to hear of yet another delay. The Japanese airline ordered 50 of the wide-bodied planes in 2004.
Airline spokeswoman Megumi Tezuka said, "We trust that the time will be used to deliver the best possible aircraft in the shortest possible time frame."
The delays were put into perspective in a research note written by analysts at the Center for Asia Pacific Aviation, an Australian consulting firm.
"At one point, (All Nippon Airlines) was hoping to have the aircraft in service before the start of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games," the note said.
