Troubled Dreamliners cleared for take-off to Sydney
As part of a rejig of its global network, Japan Airlines has announced that it will fly Dreamliners between Sydney and Tokyo's Narita Airport from December 1. They will replace its Boeing 777-200 aircraft on the daily run to Sydney - the airline's sole route to Australia.
The switch to a smaller plane - the 787 has about 82 fewer seats - will reduce Japan Airline's capacity on the route, which will in turn ease the pressure on Qantas.
Japan Airlines plans to begin returning its fleet of Dreamliners to service from the start of June after "confirming the safety and reliability of the aircraft". Last month US regulators cleared the way for Dreamliners to be returned to service after approving a fix for the problem batteries on the state-of-the-art planes.
Before the grounding of the 787s in January, Jetstar had been due to take delivery of the first of its 14 Dreamliners in August. The airline has since said there could be a couple of months' delay.
Jetstar will not release a definitive route schedule for its Dreamliners until shortly before it takes delivery of the first new planes. They will gradually replace its A330s, which fly from cities including Melbourne, Sydney and the Gold Coast to Hawaii, Japan and Singapore. The airline will have to gain approval from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority to have the new places added to its air operator's certificate - a licence to operate commercial services.
Foreign airlines which intend to operate the planes on routes to Australia do not need further approval from this country's air-safety regulator as US authorities have certified the Dreamliner as safe to fly.
Qatar Airways is likely to be the first airline to operate Dreamliners to Australia with flights between Doha and Perth. It has not given a specific date for the flights. In January, the worldwide fleet of 787s were grounded after a battery fire in a Japan Airlines 787 in Boston.
Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…
Japan Airlines has announced it will fly Boeing 787 Dreamliners between Tokyo Narita and Sydney from December 1, replacing its Boeing 777-200 on the daily Sydney route.
Japan Airlines said it would begin returning its fleet of 787 Dreamliners to service from the start of June after "confirming the safety and reliability of the aircraft." This followed US regulators approving a fix for the problem batteries that prompted the earlier grounding.
The 787 is a smaller plane on this route, with about 82 fewer seats than the Boeing 777-200 it replaces. That reduction in capacity will ease some competitive pressure on Qantas for the Sydney–Tokyo market.
The global grounding in January followed a battery fire on a Japan Airlines 787 in Boston. US authorities later approved a battery fix, which paved the way for the fleet to be returned to service.
Before the grounding, Jetstar was due to receive its first of 14 Dreamliners in August. The airline has said there could now be a couple of months' delay. Jetstar will only release a definitive route schedule shortly before taking delivery.
Yes. Jetstar will need approval from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to have the new Dreamliner seats added to its air operator's certificate so it can operate commercial services with those planes.
No. The article notes foreign airlines intending to operate 787s on routes to Australia do not need further approval from Australia's air‑safety regulator because US authorities have certified the Dreamliner as safe to fly.
Qatar Airways is likely to be the first airline to operate 787 Dreamliners to Australia, with flights expected between Doha and Perth, although the carrier has not given a specific start date.
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