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Poland's Dreamliners grounded through Oct.

[February 14, 2013]  WARSAW, Poland (AP) -- Poland's airline LOT said Thursday it is keeping both its Boeing 787 Dreamliners grounded through October while the U.S. aircraft maker seeks to eliminate a potential safety threat that occurred in some planes.

The 787s have been grounded around the world after some of them developed battery problems that threatened to cause fires.

LOT president Sebastian Mikosz said he could not schedule the 787s for summer season flights as long as the cause of the technical problems has not been determined and the U.S. aviation authorities' order to keep them grounded remains in force.

The decision is a blow to Poland's national carrier, which is cutting costs in an effort to survive. LOT is Europe's first airline to have Dreamliners, which it hoped would improve its financial results and position.

Their grounding means that LOT will need to extend a lease on three Boeings 767s it currently uses and seek to lease two more for the summer season, spokesman Marek Klucinski told The Associated Press.He added LOT is also talking to Boeing about the costs generated by the idling.

One of LOT's Dreamliners remains in Chicago, one in Warsaw. Both are safe to fly, Klucinski said.

Boeing suspended delivery of three more planned for LOT this year.

[Associated Press]

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