Qantas cancels/defers delivery of 30 Boeing 787 Dreamliners

Qantas, the largest customer for the 787 Dreamliner, became the latest to cancel/defer orders for the futuristic aircraft when it reached agreement with Boeing to cancel orders for 15 787-9s and defer delivery for 15 787-8s by four years.

The 787-9s were scheduled for delivery in 2014-15. With the agreement the airline has reduced its order book for the 787-9 version to 50. The cancellation/deferrals will ensure that Qantas will not take delivery of its first Dreamliner till 2013.

It would have taken delivery of one aircraft per month, for 65 months, from August 2008, according to the original schedule. This programme was no longer tenable with the Dreamliner programme suffering multiple troubles related to technology absorption, logistical problems in manufacturing and labour troubles.

Industry sources estimate that the cancellation will lessen capital outlay burden on the airline by approximately $3 billion. It also means that the airline's expansion plans, particularly for Europe, will now be affected. 

Meanwhile, airline officials were at pains to emphasize that the decision was not linked to the troubles that the aircraft was experiencing in production. The company has just announced the sixth delay in the aircraft's first flight.

"Qantas announced its original 787 order in December 2005 and the operating environment for the world's airlines has clearly changed dramatically since then," airline CEO, Alan Joyce, said.