Dreamliner safety: Air India to wait for US FAA's probe report

Following the recent trouble erupting in an aircraft owned by Japan Airlines, American manufacturer Boeing jointly announced investigations into the matter with the FAA on Friday.

The plane has had three technical mishaps this month, including an electrical fire in a Japan Airlines plane, a fuel leakage and a broken cockpit window.

"There is nothing to be done by us at present. We have already carried out inspections and checks on our aircraft on our own, including on the lithium ion batteries," senior Air India officials said, adding "we are awaiting any advise from the FAA or Boeing."

Experts say these batteries are used on the F-22 and F-35 fighters, the International Space Station, battery-powered cars like the Tesla and the Chevy Volt, apart from the high- tech new Dreamliner.

Regarding fuel leaks, the airline officials said this was not something "unusual as it occurs in all aircraft types." Such problems have to be rectified but these are not anything significant, they said.

Boeing has designated a team in Delhi for any trouble- shooting, the officials said, adding that the team was "available to us at any time in the eventuality of the plane facing any technical problem."

Stating that the "fuel efficient" plane has started turning the fortunes of the carrier on many loss-making sectors which were so far being serviced by B-777s, they said "we are banking on these aircraft going forward because of the fuel efficiency." (More)