Consumer groups seek to clip Dreamliner’s wings
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Two consumer groups in the US have launched a petition against the US government’s approval of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
FlyersRights.org and the Aviation Consumer Action Project are both petitioning the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Department of Transportation (DOT), demanding that Dreamliner flights are limited to less than two hours from the nearest airport, until the new battery solution is proven safe. Such a limitation would prevent the B787 from operating trans-Pacific flights.
“Our proposed actions are both urgent and necessary,” said attorney Paul Hudson, leader of both organisations.
“The 787 lithium ion batteries have a long history of overheating, catching fire, even exploding. This could easily bring down an airliner, especially if it was not within easy reach of an airport for an emergency landing,” Hudson said.
The Dreamliner was approved to resume commercial flights late last month, following a series of FAA tests on Boeing’s new battery solution. The only US-based Dreamliner operator, United Airlines, is planning to resume commercial services using the B787 on 20 May 2013, but initially only on domestic routes. ANA however, recently announced plans to relaunch its Dreamliner on the trans-Pacific route between Tokyo and San Jose, while JAL operated its B787 to Boston prior to the grounding.