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Boeing South Carolina delivered a 787 built in Everett, Wash., to Air India Thursday, ending the much-delayed delivery to the Indian airline. Boeing South Carolina officials initially expected to deliver its first 787 in June.
 Boeing S.C. handed over a Washington state-built 787 Dreamliner to Air India Thursday. (Photo/Provided) |
By Matt Tomsic
mtomsic@scbiznews.com
Published Sept. 6, 2012
Boeing South Carolina delivered a 787 Dreamliner built in Puget Sound to Air India today.
Air India’s 787 is still in the North Charleston flight line, and the airline has scheduled to fly it to Delhi on Friday. Air India will deploy its Dreamliners to routes in the Middle East, Europe, Asia and Australia.
“We are pleased to celebrate another historic moment in our nearly seven-decade long relationship,” said Dinesh Keskar, senior vice president of Asia Pacific and India sales for Boeing Commercial Airplanes, in a news release. “I am sure Air India and their customers will be thrilled to experience the revolutionary features on the 787, an airplane that will be the key focus of the airline's turnaround plan.”
Negotiations postponed the delivery for months while the Boeing Co. and Air India worked on a compensation package for the 787 program’s delays. Boeing South Carolina officials expected to deliver its first 787 in June.
In company filings, Air India said it expected to receive its first Dreamliner in August, and Boeing announced plans last week to deliver the jet by the end of the week.
Five Dreamliners are in North Charleston’s flight line now, said Candy Eslinger, a spokeswoman for the Boeing Co. Boeing South Carolina built two of them.
Previous coverage
Air India could receive 787s in August
NTSB finds fractured shaft in GE engine
Four 787s pile into Boeing S.C.’s flight line
Posturing, negotiations affecting Boeing S.C.’s first delivery
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