KLM Royal Dutch AIrlines has been forced to cancel a number of flights operated by its Boeing 787 Dreamliners. The reason for this is a detected deviation in the maintenance procedures carried out on the aircraft’s fuel systems.
The issue concerns a specific component used during the refuelling of the Boeing 787s. This component is identical to that of the Boeing 777, for which the maintenance procedure was correctly executed. Despite that, it turns out that a different instruction applies to the 787 models.
A KLM spokesperson emphasized to BNR that passenger safety has not been compromised at any point. Nevertheless, the airline has decided to urgently carry out the maintenance work on the affected Boeing 787 aircraft according to the correct regulations. The Dreamliners in question will remain grounded for the time being to undergo this accelerated maintenance.
Seven
In total, seven Boeing 787 Dreamliners are involved, both the 787-9 type and the larger 787-10 variant. The impact of the issue was already visible saturday on KLM’s flight schedule, with the cancellation of at least three flights. According to information on Schiphol Airport’s website, these were flight KL611 to Chicago, KL615 to Portland, and KL685 to Mexico City. It is estimated that nearly 650 passengers have been affected by these cancellations.
A KLM spokesperson assured that the airline is doing everything possible to minimise the impact on the affected passengers.'”Where possible, a replacement aircraft will be deployed. If that is not possible, passengers will be rebooked on another flight so that they can reach their destination with as little inconvenience as possible,’ said the spokesperson. It remains unclear how long the seven Boeing 787s will remain grounded and when the flight schedule will be fully restored.