An American Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner lands at Miami International Airport in Miami, Florida on December 10, 2021.
Joe Raedle | Getty Images
Boeing will resume deliveries of its 787 Dreamliners in the coming days, the Federal Aviation Administration said on Monday.
Deliveries of the widebody jets have largely been suspended for the past two years as regulators and Boeing review a number of manufacturing flaws.
The resumption of deliveries is long-awaited by Boeing and customers like American Airlines and United Airlines, who have skipped new Dreamliners as travel demand surged this year. The twin-aisle aircraft are often used on international long-haul routes.
American could receive a new Dreamliner as early as Wednesday, a person familiar with the matter told CNBC.
The Dreamliners are an important source of revenue for Boeing because the majority of an aircraft’s price is paid when it is handed over to customers, although the manufacturer had to compensate buyers for the extensive delays. The company said earlier this year that 787 issues, including a production drop, would cost $5.5 billion.
“Boeing has made the necessary changes to ensure the 787 Dreamliner meets all certification standards,” the FAA said in a statement Monday. “The FAA will inspect each aircraft before issuing a certificate of airworthiness and clearing it for delivery.”
Boeing shares jumped on the news, rising more than 1% shortly after the FAA’s announcement.
Boeing said last month it was nearing the finish line of resuming 787 deliveries, in what CEO Dave Calhoun described as “the moment we’ve been waiting for.” According to a securities filing, the company had 120 of the aircraft in inventory at the end of the most recent quarter.
Acting FAA Administrator Billy Nolen last Thursday visited Boeing’s 787 factory in South Carolina and met with FAA safety inspectors about steps to improve production quality, the agency said.
Problems discovered included tiny, incorrect clearances in some parts of the hull.
“We continue to work transparently with the FAA and our customers to resume 787 deliveries,” Boeing said in a statement.