Boeing to delay 1st Dreamliner delivery at least until early 2009

Boeing Co., already six months behind schedule on its 787 Dreamliner jet, will likely delay the first delivery of the fuel-efficient aircraft at least until early 2009, the Wall Street Journal reported on its online edition Wednesday.

This means that Boeing, which announced last October that the first delivery would be pushed back until November or December 2008, is deferring the planned delivery date by a further three months at least.

The first aircraft is bound for Japan's All Nippon Airways Co., which has 50 Dreamliners on order. In addition, ANA's rival, Japan Airlines Corp., has an order for 35 Dreamliners.

Since the first delivery was originally slated for May 2008, this means the plane will arrive more than nine months behind schedule.

Boeing is being plagued by components shortages for the widebody jets.

''Many important components, including wiring and cockpit instruments, still haven't been installed in the first aircraft,'' the daily said quoting people familiar with the situation.

It usually takes two to three months of testing after engineers power up an airliner's electronics before the engineers clear the airplanes for its first flight.

Boeing will not be able to get the Dreamliner certified by the Federal Aviation Administration until early 2009, it said, adding the first delivery will occur only after that.

The Dreamliner is expected to be 20 percent cheaper to fly. Boeing has landed orders for 817 Dreamliners from 53 countries.

Boeing may have to pay millions of dollars in penalties to airlines for missing delivery deadlines, it said.

On top of this, Boeing is risking airlines defecting to a competing airplane being developed by Toulouse, France-based Airbus S.A.S., an arm of European Aeronautic Defense & Space Co., it added.