Arrow-right Camera
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Ethiopia flies first Dreamliner since grounding

An Ethiopian Airliner 787 Dreamliner prepares to take off from Addis Ababa on Saturday, the first commercial flight by the Boeing aircraft since January. (Associated Press)
Rodney Muhumuza Associated Press

KAMPALA, Uganda – A Boeing 787 operated by Ethiopian Airlines flew from Ethiopia to Kenya’s capital Saturday, the first commercial flight since air safety authorities grounded the Dreamliners after incidents with smoldering batteries on two different planes in January.

The Boeing 787 passenger jet arrived at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Saturday afternoon after a two-hour trip from Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has approved Boeing’s redesigned battery system, which the company says sharply reduces the risk of fire.

There are 50 Dreamliners in service around the world.

Once the FAA approves the fix on individual planes, airlines can start flying them again.

United Airlines, the only U.S. airline with the planes, moved one of its six 787s to a Boeing facility in San Antonio, Texas, on Tuesday so it can get the battery fixed. Neither of the battery incidents involved a United jet.

Boeing said Wednesday that deliveries of the 787 should resume in early May.