The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a new directive mandating inspections of Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, a move that could potentially disrupt over 64,000 flights and affect more than 18 million seats globally in the next 30 days, according to data from travel intelligence platform Mabrian.
This directive comes after a March incident where a LATAM Airlines Boeing 787-9 experienced a sudden mid-air descent, resulting in injuries to more than 50 passengers.
The FAA’s directive requires urgent inspections and possible corrective actions on 895 Boeing 787 Dreamliners worldwide, specifically targeting potential issues with the rocker switch caps or switch canover assemblies on the Captain’s and First Officer’s seats of certain Boeing 787-8, -9, and -10 airplanes. These inspections are crucial as similar malfunctions have been reported in five other cases, with two still under investigation.
Mabrian’s analysis* indicates that this aircraft recall could heavily impact global air travel, with 92% of the affected flights operating on the 787-8 and 787-9 models. The majority of the disrupted seats, around 58%, are scheduled on the 787-9 aircraft, while over a third are on the 787-8.
Carlos Cendra, partner and director of marketing and communications at Mabrian, said: “This mandatory inspection will not imply to land all planes at the same time, as airlines have 30 days to complete it and fix any malfunction, but it will pose a massive challenge in an already tight summer and post-summer schedule, that could cause delays and cancellations worldwide.”
Among the most impacted airlines are All Nippon Airways and Qatar Airways, alongside Hainan Airlines and Ethiopian Airlines. Key carriers like Japan Airlines, Singapore Airlines, and China Southern Airlines, as well as airlines serving long-haul routes in the Middle East and Asia, including Etihad Airways and Turkish Airlines, will also face significant scheduling challenges according to Mabrian.
North American and European carriers are not immune to the effects of this directive, says Mabrian. Major airlines such as United Airlines, American Airlines, Air Canada, LATAM Airlines, and Air Europa will need to reorganise flights and seating arrangements over the coming month to comply with the FAA’s requirements.
*Sources: Mabrian travel intelligence: seats availability on scheduled flights (one-way) from August 20 to September 20, 2024 in Boeing 787-8, -9, and -10 airplanes.
READ MORE NEWS: Ethiopian Airlines becomes first African customer for 777X jets