DALLAS — Mechanical glitches that caused three United Airlines flights to be cut short in the past week might have gotten little notice except for one detail: All the planes were Boeing 787s.
The 787, which Boeing calls the Dreamliner, faces more scrutiny than normal because it was grounded for three months by concern about overheating lithium-ion batteries.
Aviation experts say the three recent incidents with United planes didn’t appear to pose any threat to passenger safety. But, they say, the reputation of Boeing and its newest plane will suffer if glitches continue to pile up:
_ On Sunday, a United 787 flight from Houston to Denver returned to Houston shortly after takeoff because of what United called “a brake indicator issue.” Spokeswoman Jennifer Dohm said the plane, with 219 passengers, made an emergency landing as a precaution. She said a maintenance team examined the plane, and it was returned to service.
_ Last Thursday, a United 787 carrying 218 passengers from London to Houston stopped in Newark, N.J., because an indicator showed low engine oil. The Federal Aviation Administration said it was looking into the incident.
_ Last Tuesday, a United flight from Denver to Tokyo diverted to Seattle because of what the airline called an oil filter issue. The airline put up about 200 passengers overnight in a hotel, then flew them to Tokyo the next day on another 787.
It’s not unusual for a new plane or model to suffer glitches. Some sound more ominous than others, such as when Airbus had to repair cracks on parts inside the wings of its huge A380 jets in 2011 and 2012.
With last week’s Dreamliner incidents, “We’re seeing a relatively small number of relatively minor problems,” said Richard Aboulafia, an aviation analyst with the Teal Group. “This is similar to what we’ve seen with other new aircraft.”
John F. Thomas of L.E.K. Consulting said three aborted flights in six days could be partly coincidence and partly due to pilots being quick to land if anything on the 787 seems out of the ordinary.
“Because of what happened with the batteries, people would naturally be cautious,” he said.
The Dreamliner is Boeing’s most technologically advanced airliner, with lightweight materials and other innovations designed to boost fuel efficiency.
The fuel efficiency makes it suited for long flights, including international routes. Its medium size – smaller than the Airbus A380 and Boeing 747 and 777 – gives airlines an alternative to the jumbo jets when serving secondary routes such as Denver to Tokyo. Lithium-ion batteries provide power to the plane, and they overheated on two planes in January, leading regulators to ground the entire worldwide fleet of 50 Dreamliners.
Aboulafia said last week’s incidents won’t cause airlines to shy away from the Dreamliner, but he thinks the battery issue still poses a potential threat to the plane’s reputation. The Federal Aviation Administration approved a Boeing redesign of the battery system and allowed the 787s to resume flying before the root cause of the overheating was determined.
“I would be concerned about the lack of a backup plan and the cost of swap-outs if there’s a high rate of failure with battery cells,” Aboulafia said.
Customers can still seek compensation from Boeing for the grounding. On Monday, Poland’s government said that Boeing will offer to compensate LOT, that country’s national airline, for the grounding of its two 787s earlier this year. A Polish official said LOT lost more than $30 million in business. Boeing declined to comment.
Jon Kettles, an aviation lawyer in Dallas, said even apparently minor incidents like those in the past week should be taken seriously, especially on new aircraft that haven’t flown much.
“The new scrutiny is warranted and necessary to catch problems in the early stages before they cause an accident,” he said.
Airlines are giving Boeing a vote of confidence.
At last week’s Paris Air Show, Boeing announced 102 orders and commitments for a new, larger model of the Dreamliner, the 787-10. The company has 930 firm orders for the three versions of the 787.
“The 787 is a great airplane and we know it will continue to receive heightened attention when reliability events occur in service,” said Marc Birtel, a Boeing spokesman.
A line of 787 jets are seen parked nose-to-tail Thursday, Jan. 17, 2013, at Paine Field in Everett, Wash. Federal officials say they are temporarily grounding Boeing’s 787 Dreamliners until the risk of possible battery fires is addressed. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
January 16, 2013
Graphic locates problem areas on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner
January 16, 2013
In this photo taken by a passenger and distributed by Japan’s Kyodo News, passengers leave an All Nippon Airways Boeing 787 after it made an emergency landing at Takamatsu airport in Takamatsu, Kagawa Prefecture, western Japan, Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2013. ANA said a cockpit message showed battery problems and a burning smell was detected in the cockpit and the cabin, forcing the 787 on a domestic flight to land at the airport. (AP Photo/Kyodo News)
January 16, 2013
An All Nippon Airways flight sits at Takamatsu airport in Takamatsu, western Japan after it made an emergency landing Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2013. The flight to Tokyo from Ube in western Japan landed at the airport after a cockpit message showed battery problems, in the latest trouble for the Boeing 787 “Dreamliner.” (AP Photo/Kyodo News)
January 11, 2013
Loc Phan, foreground, and Kari Brown who both work for Hexcel which manufactures carbon fiber components for Boeing, look at a door on a disply model of part of the aircraft as Boeing celebrated the opening of a new manufacturing plant in West Jordan, Utah on Friday, Jan. 11, 2013. The U.S. government stepped in Friday to assure the public that Boeing’s new 787 “Dreamliner” is safe to fly, even as it launched a comprehensive review to find out what caused a fire, a fuel leak and other worrisome incidents earlier in the week. (AP Photo/The Salt Lake Tribune, Francisco Kjolseth)
January 7, 2013
A Japan Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner jet aircraft is surrounded by emergency vehicles while parked at a terminal E gate at Logan International Airport in Boston as a fire chief looks into the cargo hold Monday, Jan. 7, 2013. A small electrical fire filled the cabin of the JAL aircraft with smoke Monday morning about 15 minutes after it landed in Boston. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia)
November 15, 2012
Visitors tour the Boeing 787 “Dreamliner”, the first such plane in Polish Airlines LOT fleet, after it arrived in Warsaw, Poland, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2012. Poland’s national airline LOT welcomed its first “Dreamliner”, becoming the first European carrier to get the U.S. aircraft maker’s newest plane. (AP Photo/Alik Keplicz)
November 4, 2012
Sleeping quarters for the flight crew aboard a Boeing 787 are shown as United Airlines prepares its first scheduled North American commercial Boeing 787 flight from Houston to Chicago, Sunday, Nov. 4, 2012 in Houston at Bush International Airport. (AP Photo/Houston Chronicle, Eric Kayne)
November 4, 2012
A United Airlines 787 Dreamliner receives a ceremonial wash as it arrives at O’Hare international Airport in Chicago, Sunday, Nov. 4, 2012, from Houston, after making United’s inaugural 787 revenue flight. The aircraft is touted to be much more fuel efficient than any other similar plane and has a host of passenger amenities, such as larger windows, special lighting and filtered air. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
November 4, 2012
Members of the media look inside a Boeing 787′s cabin as United Airlines prepares its first scheduled North American commercial Boeing 787 flight from Houston to Chicago, Sunday, Nov. 4, 2012 in Houston at Bush International Airport. (AP Photo/Houston Chronicle, Eric Kayne)
October 1, 2012
Visitors view the economy class section of a Boeing 787 operated by All Nippon Airways, at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Monday, Oct. 1, 2012, on the first day of service for the 787 on ANA’s Seattle-Tokyo route. After an official welcoming ceremony, the flight was delayed due to a maintenance issue. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
September 8, 2012
A Boeing 787 Dreamliner passenger plane receives a water canon salute upon arrival at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, India, Saturday, Sept. 8, 2012. Air India has taken delivery of its first Boeing 787 from the company. It is the fifth airline worldwide to take delivery of a 787 and has 26 more on order. (AP Photo)
April 22, 2012
A Japan Airlines Boeing 787 lands at Logan International Airport in Boston on its inaugural, non-stop flight from Tokyo, Sunday, April 22, 2012. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
March 14, 2012
California Gov. Jerry Brown sits in the cockpit during a tour of the a flight test version of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner as it makes a tour stop at the Boeing plant in Long Beach, Calif., Wednesday, March 14, 2012. (AP Photo/Lucy Nicholson, Pool)
February 17, 2012
President Barack Obama checks out the overhead storage compartments while touring a Boeing 787 during a tour of the Boeing 787 factory on Friday, Feb. 17, 2012 in Everett, Wash. (AP Photo/The Seattle Times, Mike Siegel, Pool)
February 17, 2012
US President Barack Obama looks at the electronic window shade in a Boeing 787 Dreamliner airplane that will be delivered to United Airlines during a tour of the production facility prior to speaking on the economy in Everett, Washington, February 17, 2012. (AFP PHOTO / Saul LOEB(
February 12, 2012
The interior of the first class cabin showing the new dimming electronic window shades of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner is seen during a media tour on February 12, 2012 in Singapore. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)
February 12, 2012
The interior of the crew sleeping quarters on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner is seen during a media tour on February 12, 2012 in Singapore. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)
February 12, 2012
The interior of the first class cabin of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner is seen during a media tour on February 12, 2012 in Singapore. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images)
January 26, 2012
A picture shows the view of the cockpit of the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner passenger jet at the Dublin International airport in Dublin, Ireland on January 26, 2012. (PETER MUHLY/AFP/Getty Images)
September 25, 2011
The Roll Royce engine is pictured on a Boeing Boeing 787 Dreamliner belonging to All Nippon Airways September 25, 2011 in Everett, Wash. Boeing delivered its long-awaited and delayed first 787 airliner to All Nippon Airways which it will celebrate before ANA flies the airliner to Japan September 27, 2011. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)
September 25, 2011
Boeing employees assemble Boeing 787 Dreamliners September 25, 2011 in Everett, Wash. Boeing delivered its long-awaited and delayed first 787 airliner to All Nippon Airways which it will celebrate before ANA flies the airliner to Japan September 27, 2011. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)
September 25, 2011
Boeing employees work on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner for United Airlines September 25, 2011 in Everett, Wash. Boeing delivered its long-awaited and delayed first 787 airliner to All Nippon Airways which it will celebrate before ANA flies the airliner to Japan September 27, 2011. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)
September 25, 2011
A Boeing employee works inside the fuselage of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner September 25, 2011 in Everett, Wash. Boeing delivered its long-awaited and delayed first 787 airliner to All Nippon Airways which it will celebrate before ANA flies the airliner to Japan September 27, 2011. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)
September 25, 2011
Boeing employees work on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner in the final assembly line September 25, 2011 in Everett, Wash. Boeing delivered its long-awaited and delayed first 787 airliner to All Nippon Airways which it will celebrate before ANA flies the airliner to Japan September 27, 2011. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)
September 25, 2011
Business class seats on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner owned by All Nippon Airways September 25, 2011 in Everett, Wash. Boeing delivered its long-awaited and delayed first 787 airliner to All Nippon Airways which it will celebrate before ANA flies the airliner to Japan September 27, 2011. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)
July 3, 2011
An All Nippon Airways (ANA) Boeing 787 Dreamliner arrives as fire engines spray it with water at Tokyo’s Haneda airport during a test flight on July 3, 2011. ANA and Boeing will conduct test flights between Haneda and other domestic airports until July 10 with ANA utilizing the jetliner for domestic service from September. AFP PHOTO / Yoshikazu TSUNO
July 3, 2011
An All Nippon Airways (ANA) Boeing 787 Dreamliner arrives at Tokyo’s Haneda airport during a test flight on July 3, 2011. ANA and Boeing will conduct test flights between Haneda and other domestic airports until July 10 with ANA utilizing the jetliner for domestic service from September. AFP PHOTO / Yoshikazu TSUNO
June 22, 2011
Visitors look at the GEnx engine, provides power for Boeing’s new 787 Dreamliner and 747-8 long-range jets, at the International Paris Air Show on June 22, 2011. AFP PHOTO PIERRE VERDY
March 20, 2011
A 787 Dreamliner passenger jet is tested above the Boeing factory at Paine Field in Everett, Washington state on March 20, 2011. Boeing said recently that the use of ‘immature’ technology caused delays in the delivery of its 787 Dreamliner passenger jet, a project almost three years behind schedule. ‘Some of the technology was not as mature as it should have been and we put a global supply chain together without thinking through some of the consequences,’ Jim Albaugh, president and chief executive of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said at a forum in the Saudi capital. ‘When you put immature technology in your supply chain and don’t supply adequate oversight, you have issues and that is what we had,’ he added at the annual Global Competitiveness Forum. But he expressed confidence in the aircraft even if production is nearly three years behind schedule. AFP PHOTO/Mark RALSTON
February 14, 2011
Boeing employees work on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner on one of the assembly lines February 14, 2011 at the company’s factory in Everett, Washington. The new plane features quieter, more fuel efficient engines, more seating and a redesigned interior. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)
July 7, 2007
International journalists and other visitors view a mock-up of the interior of the new Boeing 787 airplane Saturday, July 7, 2007, at Boeing’s Customer Experience Center in Renton, Wash., the day before Sunday’s official roll-out of the first 787 airplane. The 787 is Boeing’s first all-new plane since airlines started flying the 777 in 1995, and thousands of current and former employees as well as government and airline officials are expected to take part in roll-out ceremonies Sunday in Everett, Wash., and Seattle. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
February 14, 2011
Boeing employees work on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner on one of the assembly lines February 14, 2011 at the company’s factory in Everett, Washington. The new plane features quieter, more fuel efficient engines, more seating and a redesigned interior. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)
July 18, 2010
A Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft sits on the tarmac of the Farnborough Airshow, Hampshire, on July 18, 2010. Aerospace giant Boeing said July 15, 2010 that it might delay to 2011 the delivery of the first 787 Dreamliner aircraft scheduled at the end of this year. AFP PHOTO / BEN STANSALL
January 27, 2010
Ethiopians walks past a billboard showing an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 787 plane in Addis Ababa on January 27, 2010. The crash of an Ethiopian Airlines jet, in which 90 people are feared dead on January 25, 2010, comes as a blow to a company considered the jewel of Ethiopia’s industry and tipped for exponential growth. AFP PHOTO / SIMON MAINA
December 15, 2009
A Boeing 787 Dreamliner accelerates down the runway while taking off on its long-waited first flight December 15, 2009 at Paine Field In Everett, Wash. The much delayed Dreamliner is made of a plastic composite material that can save up to 20 percent in fuel costs. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)
December 15, 2009
A Boeing 787 Dreamliner is seen after its long-waited first flight December 15, 2009 at Boeing Field In Seattle, Washington. The much delayed Dreamliner is made of a plastic composite material that can save up to 20 percent in fuel costs. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)
December 15, 2009
Boeing 787 Chief Pilot Captain Mike Carriker exults after landing Boeing’s long delayed new 787 at Boeing Field in Seattle, Wash., on December 15, 2009. Under dreary skies, the Dreamliner took off at 10:27 a.m. to loud applause from those gathered at Paine Field near Boeing’s plant. More than two years late, Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner jet took to the skies Tuesday, in a critical milestone for the problem-plagued aircraft seen as key to the future of the US aerospace giant. AFP PHOTO/Paul Joseph BROWN
December 15, 2009
Engineering Test Pilot Capt. Randy Neville gives the thumbs up from the cockpit of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner after its long-waited first flight December 15, 2009 at Boeing Field In Seattle, Wash. The much delayed Dreamliner is made of a plastic composite material that can save up to 20 percent in fuel costs. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)
December 15, 2009
Boeing’s long delayed 787 Dreamliner sits on the tarmac after its first flight and landing at Boeing Field in Seattle, Wash., on December 15, 2009. Under dreary skies, the Dreamliner took off at 10:27 a.m. to loud applause from those gathered at Paine Field near Boeing’s plant in the western state of Washington. More than two years late, Boeing’s 787 Dreamliner jet took to the skies Tuesday, in a critical milestone for the problem-plagued aircraft seen as key to the future of the US aerospace giant. AFP PHOTO/Paul Joseph BROWN
June 23, 2009
Workers in lifts tend to the exterior of one of two Boeing 787 Dreamliners sitting on the flight line June 23, 2009 near the company’s production facilities at Paine Field in Everett, Wash. Boeing announced the postponement of the airplane’s first flight due to a need to reinforce part of the plane’s body. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)
June 23, 2009
Workers in lifts tend to the exterior of one of two Boeing 787 Dreamliners sitting on the flight line June 23, 2009 near the company’s production facilities at Paine Field in Everett, Wash. Boeing announced the postponement of the airplane’s first flight due to a need to reinforce part of the plane’s body. (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)
July 9, 2007
The new Boeing 787 Dreamliner appears to the crowd during the world premiere of this aircraft in Everett, Washington, July 8, 2007. Aircraft manufacturer Boeing unveiled its new ‘green’ passenger jet, the 787 Dreamliner, which boasts a series of fuel-efficient design features that have sparked huge demand. The much-hyped aircraft was rolled out for its first public appearance at Boeing’s giant plant in Everett, some 25 miles north of Seattle AFP PHOTO TANGI QUEMENER
July 9, 2007
Boeing employees and media members discover the landing gear of the new Boeing 787 Dreamliner during the world premiere of this aircraft in Everett, Washington, July 8, 2007. Aircraft manufacturer Boeing unveiled its new ‘green’ passenger jet, the 787 Dreamliner, which boasts a series of fuel-efficient design features that have sparked huge demand.The much-hyped aircraft was rolled out for its first public appearance at Boeing’s giant plant in Everett, some 25 miles north of Seattle. AFP PHOTO TANGI QUEMENER
May 15, 2007
The tail of the super freighter “Dreamlifter” aircraft, carrying the massive wings for the first Boeing 787 “Dreamliner,” is opened after it’s arrival from Japan, Tuesday, May 15, 2007, in Everett, Wash. The tail of the specially designed 747 freighter swings open for huge payloads that are unloaded using the largest cargo loader in the world. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
July 19, 2006
People look at the overhead compartment space inside a model demonstrating the interior space of the forthcoming long range, fuel efficient Boeing 787 Dreamliner at Farnborough International Airshow in Farnborough, southern England, Wednesday July 19, 2006. The biennial show, which was in its 45th year in 2006, showcases aerospace equipment and technology and is the largest aerospace event in the world. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)
December 14, 2005
In this artist impression released by Qantas Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2005 in Sydney shows a Qantas Boeing 787. Australian flag carrier Qantas announced it has placed firm orders for 65 new Boeing 787 passenger jets in a multibillion dollar deal to renew its fleet. (AP Photo/Qantas, HO)
FAA Grounds All Boeing 787 Dreamliners Over Glitches
The grounding follows a series of malfunctions, including several electrical failures.
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