Air India Has Flown 787s Since Global "Grounding"

Air India has flown some of its Boeing Co. 787 Dreamliners in the wake of the grounding of the global fleet triggered by U.S. regulators on Jan. 16, after two battery fires hit the advanced new jet.

The head of India's civil aviation authority said it gave the flag carrier "special permission" for the flights, which didn't carry passengers.

Three of its six Dreamliners were flown from Delhi to its engineering base in Mumbai on Feb. 2, with another two transferred in the days following last month's decision by U.S. regulators to stop 787 flights.

A senior Air India executive confirmed the flights took place, after consultation with Boeing, and said they were also motivated by an effort to avoid high aircraft parking charges in Delhi.

Boeing declined to comment on the flights.

Air India's move is unusual as U.S. regulators extended the ban to test and delivery flights, as well as commercial operations.

India's Director General of Civil Aviation, Arun Mishra, said permission for the one-off flights was granted following a request from Air India, so the jets could be maintained at its Mumbai facility.

The Federal Aviation Administration has prohibited commercial, test and delivery flights of U.S.-registered 787s since twin lithium-ion battery incidents on Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways jets.

The FAA only has direct jurisdiction over passenger flights of the six U.S.-based 787s operated by United Airlines parent, United Continental Holdings Inc.

But it also needs to give its approval for test and delivery flights, and the agency has set the pace for other countries.

The U.S. recommendation to ground the fleet on Jan. 16 was immediately adopted by aviation regulators in six regions who fly the 787. Some of the other seven 787 operators still have jets stranded far from their home bases.

United Airlines has one Dreamliner in Tokyo, a Qatar Airways 787 is in London and LOT Polish Airlines has one stranded in Chicago, after the grounding order was given as the carrier's inaugural Dreamliner flight to the US was airborne.

FAA officials appear willing to consider non-passenger 787 flights under special conditions, according to people familiar with the situation, but not until investigators pinpoint the root cause of the battery problems.

Investigators and Boeing have provided no guidance on when the 787 might be cleared to re-enter service, and some carriers have contingency plans for an extended grounding of the plane.

Anirban Chowdhury contributed to this article.

Write to Jon Ostrower at [e-mail]

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