Boeing 'facing more 787 delays'

BA has ordered 24 Dreamliners

Boeing shares have fallen by almost 5% on reports that it faces further delays on its new 787 Dreamliner jet.

The US plane-maker has continued to struggle with problems in the assembly of the aircraft, the Financial Times and Wall Street Journal say.

Reports suggest Boeing will announce a further three-month delay - putting it 10 months behind schedule.

The Dreamliner is Boeing's fastest-selling plane, with 802 orders in total by the start of 2008.

But the delays would mean that no 787s would be delivered this year, with Boeing therefore also missing its target of delivering 109 of the jets by the end of 2009, the FT said.

Its shares closed down 4.7% at $77.86 on Tuesday.

Boeing's first all-new jet since 1995, it is the only big commercial aircraft made mostly of carbon fibre rather than aluminium.

It is billed as the most environmentally friendly commercial jet ever built.

Boeing says the 787 is much more fuel-efficient than its competitors and produces 20% less carbon dioxide.

British Airways has ordered 24 Dreamliners and rival UK carrier Virgin Atlantic is buying 15 of the jets. UK holiday airline First Choice has ordered 12 planes.

The first carrier to receive the plane will be Japan's All Nippon Airways which had initially expected the planes in May.