Boeing has temporarily halted deliveries of the 787 Dreamliner

The exterior of the 787 Dreamliner at Boeing’s manufacturing facility in North Charleston, on December 13, 2022.

Logan Cyrus | AFP | Getty Images

The Federal Aviation Administration told CNBC on Thursday that Boeing has paused deliveries of its 787 Dreamliners until it can perform additional fuselage component analysis.

The company will not be able to resume deliveries until they can show the FAA that they have resolved the issue.

Boeing shares were slightly lower in off-hours trading.

Airplanes, which are often used on long-haul international routes, have suffered from several problems for several years. This is not the first time deliveries have been halted.

In May 2021, Boeing halted deliveries of wide-body aircraft for the second time in less than a year after the Federal Aviation Administration determined there were problems with the manufacturer’s method for evaluating aircraft. The FAA earlier said the issues related to incorrect spacing in some parts of the 787, including the fuselage, which Boeing acknowledged was a problem in 2020, halting deliveries for five months.

In August 2022, it delivered its first 787 Dreamliner to American Airlines, marking a significant milestone for the company because aircraft are a major source of revenue.

A few months later, United Airlines said it planned to buy 100 787 Dreamliners, with an option to buy 100 more, to replace some of its old shares.

The order was a big boost for Boeing, and deliveries of the planes were scheduled between 2024 and 2032, United previously said.

United CEO Scott Kirby said it was easier to buy more Boeing 787s than a competing Airbus A350 widebody.

“In this world where we’re trying to bring in 2,500 pilots a year and grow the airline, introducing a new fleet type slows that down dramatically,” he said on a call with reporters. The fact is that 787 is a better alternative to [767] Because it’s smaller.”

Boeing did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Read the full statement from the FAA:

Boeing has temporarily halted deliveries of 787 Dreamliners after notifying the FAA that it is conducting additional fuselage component analysis. Deliveries will not resume until the FAA is satisfied the issue has been addressed. The FAA is working with Boeing to determine any procedures that may be required for the aircraft. recently delivered.

— CNBC’s Phil Le Beau contributed to this report.