United Maps Out 787 Plans As First Expected 'Early' In 2012

The parent of United Airlines said Wednesday that it expected to receive its first Boeing Co. (BA) 787 Dreamliner "early" next year, part of a low-key entry into service among a handful of airlines that plan to use it mainly on routes in Japan, the U.S. and elsewhere.

The prospect of the first 787 arriving at Japan's All Nippon Airways Co. Ltd. (9202.TO) in late September--more than three years late--has seen other early customers of the plane start to flesh out often dusty marketing material with concrete route planning and training efforts.

United Continental Holdings Inc. (UAL), the North American launch customer, exemplifies the cautious approach being taken by airlines that have had to sashay through seven delivery delays.

Its Continental Airlines unit ordered 25 of the planes--with the United arm signing up for another 25 before their merger last year.

Continental has taken delivery of a full flight simulator at its Houston training center and hopes to start putting more pilots through their paces in the fall when it is certified by government regulators. Some flight crew have already been trained on Boeing simulators.

The airline has to date only announced two potential 787 routes: a 7,400-mile trek from its Houston hub to Auckland, New Zealand, and a shorter hop to Lagos, Nigeria that it already flies with a larger Boeing 777.

Continental pilots have already lined up to fly the first planes, with a "bid" identifying an expected 15 to 20 flight crew based largely on their length of service at the carrier.

"It was very senior," said Continental pilots' union chief Jay Pierce of the line-up of flight crew for the first five 787s expected to arrive next year.

"We will begin with hub-to-hub flights initially to gain initial operational experience with the aircraft before we begin long-haul flights," said Pierce. This would likely include shorter transatlantic services as well as longer domestic flights to gain experience.

Boeing has reduced the number of 787s it expects to deliver this year because of some production issues, with analysts estimating the number at between six and 12. Japan Airlines Corp. (JALFQ) and Air India are due to receive 787s alongside All Nippon.

-By Doug Cameron, Dow Jones Newswires; 312-750-4135; doug.cameron@dowjones.com

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