B-787 delivery: Miffed AI to seek $240m refund

New Delhi: National carrier Air India is going to adopt a tough line with US aircraft major Boeing over long delay in its B-787 Dreamliner delivery that has upset Maharaja’s survival-cum-growth plans. AI had ordered 27 Dreamliners and Boeing was supposed to start the delivery from September 2008. Now, it says that first of those aircraft will come only in late Q1 or early Q2 of 2011.
Highly placed sources said a miffed AI is going to issue a notice to Boeing shortly, asking for a firm delivery schedule of its 27 ordered 787s and further delay would invite daily penalty. Clearly, AI feels unless Boeing gives a realistic schedule about the delivery, AI’s strategic plans won’t work.
AI will also seek a refund of $240 million paid three years ago as pre-delivery payment (PDP) for the B-787s. "We are telling Boeing that there will be no more PDPs for 787s and payment will begin only after actual delivery now," said sources. In fact, AI is also likely to warn Boeing that it can cancel the 787 order if these conditions are not met.
07/08/10 Saurabh Sinha/Times of India

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Categories: Foreign Aug 2010, NACIL Aug 2010