COMPANIES Boeing is likely to make first deliveries of its 787 Dreamliner at least two years later than originally planned, costing the aircraft maker billions of dollars in compensation payments and forcing it to take at least a short-term loss on the programme.
The Chicago-based company has delayed the 787 programme three times because of problems such as the need to redesign the aircraft, shortages of parts and incomplete work by suppliers. It is currently at least 14 months behind schedule, but customers and analysts now expect Boeing to deliver the first aircraft in the second quarter of 2010 – a full two years late.
