Singapore-based low-cost carrier Scoot is still planning to take delivery of its Boeing 787 Dreamliners next year, despite the recent problems with the aircraft.
Scoot is scheduled to take delivery of the first of 20 Dreamliners in late 2014, from an order placed by parent company Singapore Airlines (SIA) back in 2006. And despite the recent technical issues experienced by ANA and Japan Airlines, Scoot’s CEO Campbell Wilson told Travel Daily he was confident the delivery schedule would be maintained.
“Boeing are keeping us informed of the situation, and we are monitoring the situation closely ourselves. But we’re still planning to take the delivery of our first aircraft at the end of 2014 as planned,” Wilson told Travel Daily by phone this week. He added however, that Scoot “would not operate any aircraft we didn’t have 100% confidence in”.
SIA’s order was initially for 20 of the larger B787-9s, but will now comprise a mix of B787-8s and B787-9s. Scoot currently operates a fleet of B777-200s.
Several airlines have pledged their commitment to the B787 since the FAA ordered its grounding last week. Korean Air said it expected deliveries to get underway as scheduled from 2016, while Qantas said it was confident that problems would be resolved before deliveries to Jetstar commence later this year. Last week Qantas cancelled one Dreamliner order, cutting the total from 15 to 14 aircraft, but this is not believed to be related to the recent problems.
Boeing has so far delivered 50 out of a total of 848 Dreamliners.
