Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner cleared for on-time delivery

[NEW YORK] Boeing Co said on Monday that regulators have certified the 787-9 Dreamliner, clearing the way for the new, stretched jet's on-time arrival to its first customer, Air New Zealand, possibly later this month.

Approval by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Aviation Safety Agency came with exemptions for problems with two components that must be addressed, even though they will not prevent the plane from going into service, Boeing and the FAA said.

The green light for the 787-9, a longer version of the flagship Dreamliner that holds 40 more passengers, signals Boeing is making progress in putting behind it the production problems that dogged the smaller version, known as the 787-8. "Certification of the 787-9 is confirmation that the airplane meets the highest levels of safety and performance, as demonstrated through a rigorous test programme, including extensive laboratory validations, flight-test activities and thorough analysis and evaluation," Boeing said.