Boeing 787-9

Boeing’s 787-9 Dreamliner will be delivered to its first customer on schedule in 2014, with its maiden flight planned in the second quarter of 2013.

American Airlines ordered 42 Boeing 787-9 aircraft in 2008, with the right to buy an additional 58 and deliveries originally set for 2012.

American Airlines spokesman Andrea Huguely was quoted by Bloomberg as saying: "We are in discussions with Boeing and are working together toward a new delivery schedule."

"We are in discussions with Boeing and are working together toward a new delivery schedule.”

In September, Boeing noted that work had begun on the new 787-9 jet as Japanese firm Kawasaki Heavy Industries started installing the door frames in fuselage.

Boeing marketing chief Randy Tinseth earlier stated that the final assembly of the plane would be completed in 2013 at the company’s main wide-body jet facility in Everett, Washington, US.

A stretched version of the 787-8 Dreamliner, 787-9 is 20ft larger and designed to carry 16% more passengers as far as 8,500nm (15,700km).

Boeing has 315 firm orders for the 787-9s, and 523 for the smaller 787-8 Dreamliners.

Image: The final assembly and the maiden flight of Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner are expected to be completed in 2013. Photo: courtesy of Boeing Image.