FRANKFURT/DOHA: A Qatar Airways 787 Dreamliner grounded last week amid reports of a problem with an electrical panel in the aircraft has resumed flying, the airline said yesterday. The jet, known as A7-BCB, landed in Frankfurt 20 minutes behind schedule at 2pm (1200 GMT) after an almost six-hour flight from Doha, and passengers reported a normal flight.
“Everything was totally fine except for the lateness. They didn’t tell us anything about any technical problems,” said an elderly female passenger, who declined to give her name. “They just said the lateness was due to other planes and that this plane is the best of its kind out there.”
Last week, Qatar Airways said the jet was out of service for what it described as a “minor” technical issue. It said the aircraft had not caught fire.
In a statement yesterday, Qatar Airways said a delay in shipping a replacement part from Boeing “caused an extended grounding” of the Dreamliner, one of six in its fleet. The airline did not say what part was needed or what problem occurred, but stressed it was committed to safe operations. “Qatar Airways takes all matters affecting the safety of its passengers seriously,” it said.
Qatar Airways said several replacement parts were required for the repair. After the delayed part arrived, the 787 needed three days of “post-assembly and testing” before resuming service, the airline added. Reuters
