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| Heathrow Dreamliner 787 fire investigation continues | Heathrow Dreamliner 787 fire investigation continues |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Investigators are continuing to try to establish the cause of a fire on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner at Heathrow. | Investigators are continuing to try to establish the cause of a fire on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner at Heathrow. |
| Airline schedules were disrupted as a result of the fire late into the night and will continue on Saturday morning. | Airline schedules were disrupted as a result of the fire late into the night and will continue on Saturday morning. |
| A team from Boeing is one of several now looking into what caused the fire on the Ethiopian Airlines plane. | A team from Boeing is one of several now looking into what caused the fire on the Ethiopian Airlines plane. |
| Heathrow's runways were closed for 90 minutes, causing significant disruption with some evening flights delayed by more than six hours. | Heathrow's runways were closed for 90 minutes, causing significant disruption with some evening flights delayed by more than six hours. |
| Investigators will hope it is not a recurrence of the battery problems that grounded the entire global fleet of 787s for three months earlier this year, said BBC correspondent Richard Lister. | Investigators will hope it is not a recurrence of the battery problems that grounded the entire global fleet of 787s for three months earlier this year, said BBC correspondent Richard Lister. |
| Several aviation experts have suggested that the fire appears to have broken out some distance from the two batteries. | Several aviation experts have suggested that the fire appears to have broken out some distance from the two batteries. |
| The plane has been moved to a special hanger away from the terminals to allow the investigation to take place. | |
| 'Negligible delays' | |
| The Air Accidents Investigation Branch of the Department for Transport is expected to lead the inquiry, with Boeing, the American Federal Aviation Authority, the US-based National Transportation Safety Board and Ethiopian Airlines also taking part. | |
| No time frame has been given for the investigation. | |
| Most Heathrow flights will leave as planned on Saturday morning, with BAA reporting "negligible" delays of around 10 minutes to some flights. | |
| Forty-two short-haul flights have been cancelled, with most passengers put on alternative flights or carriers to their chosen destinations. | |
| The advice for anyone flying from Heathrow is to call the airline. | |
| Flights resumed at Heathrow after the fire on the parked aircraft, named the Queen of Sheba. | Flights resumed at Heathrow after the fire on the parked aircraft, named the Queen of Sheba. |
| A Heathrow spokesman said no passengers were on board at the time of the fire. | A Heathrow spokesman said no passengers were on board at the time of the fire. |
| Fifty Dreamliners were grounded in January after malfunctions with the planes' lithium-ion batteries. | Fifty Dreamliners were grounded in January after malfunctions with the planes' lithium-ion batteries. |
| Boeing modified the jets with new batteries and flights resumed in April. | Boeing modified the jets with new batteries and flights resumed in April. |
| London Fire Brigade said its crews assisted Heathrow staff. | London Fire Brigade said its crews assisted Heathrow staff. |
| Fire-retardant foam was sprayed at the airliner and an area on top of the fuselage in front of the tail appeared to be scorched. | Fire-retardant foam was sprayed at the airliner and an area on top of the fuselage in front of the tail appeared to be scorched. |
| Battery problems | |
| Ethiopian Airlines said smoke was detected from the aircraft after it had been parked at Heathrow for more than eight hours. | Ethiopian Airlines said smoke was detected from the aircraft after it had been parked at Heathrow for more than eight hours. |
| Gatwick Airport said it experienced minor delays on departing flights as it assisted Heathrow with flights that were diverted. | Gatwick Airport said it experienced minor delays on departing flights as it assisted Heathrow with flights that were diverted. |
| Meanwhile, Thomson Airways said one of its Dreamliners travelling to Florida returned to Manchester Airport as a precautionary measure after the plane "experienced a technical issue". | Meanwhile, Thomson Airways said one of its Dreamliners travelling to Florida returned to Manchester Airport as a precautionary measure after the plane "experienced a technical issue". |
| Thomson became the first British carrier to operate the aircraft earlier this week and is taking delivery of eight of the planes. | Thomson became the first British carrier to operate the aircraft earlier this week and is taking delivery of eight of the planes. |
| British Airways recently took delivery of the first two of its 24 Dreamliners. | British Airways recently took delivery of the first two of its 24 Dreamliners. |
| Virgin Atlantic said it "remains committed" to taking on the first of its 16 Dreamliners in September 2014. | Virgin Atlantic said it "remains committed" to taking on the first of its 16 Dreamliners in September 2014. |
| The battery problems followed production difficulties for the Dreamliner, marketed as a quiet, fuel-efficient aircraft carrying between 201 and 290 passengers on medium-range routes. | The battery problems followed production difficulties for the Dreamliner, marketed as a quiet, fuel-efficient aircraft carrying between 201 and 290 passengers on medium-range routes. |
| It was due to enter passenger service in 2008 but it was not until October 2011 that the first commercial flight was operated by Japan's All Nippon Airways. | It was due to enter passenger service in 2008 but it was not until October 2011 that the first commercial flight was operated by Japan's All Nippon Airways. |
| On 7 January, a battery overheated and started a fire on a Japan Airlines 787 at Boston's Logan International Airport. | On 7 January, a battery overheated and started a fire on a Japan Airlines 787 at Boston's Logan International Airport. |
| Nine days later, an All Nippon Airways 787 had to make an emergency landing in Japan after a battery started to give off smoke. | Nine days later, an All Nippon Airways 787 had to make an emergency landing in Japan after a battery started to give off smoke. |
| The two batteries are not used when the 787 is in flight. | The two batteries are not used when the 787 is in flight. |
| They are operational when the plane is on the ground and its engines are not turned on and are used to power the aircraft's brakes and lights. | They are operational when the plane is on the ground and its engines are not turned on and are used to power the aircraft's brakes and lights. |