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Flight plans for February and beyond were still undecided, and the carrier won't have a midterm plan until the 787 problems are cleared up, it said. ANA hopes to fix whatever is wrong with the 787 as quickly as possible and, when services are ready to resume, hopes to give a full explanation so customers can feel the jets are safe, Tonomoto said. Boeing CEO Jim McNerney said Wednesday the U.S. manufacturer is sticking with plans to speed up 787 production and sees no reason to drop the lithium-ion batteries. Airlines have been replacing 787 batteries at a rate that's "slightly higher" than Boeing had expected, but they were being replaced for maintenance reasons, not for safety concerns, he said. McNerney said "good progress" is being made in finding the cause of the problems, but didn't have a timeline for when the plane would get back in the air. The 787 is an innovative aircraft. It is powered by electricity more than older aircraft and its body is carbon fiber, not aluminum like standard planes. Major Japanese manufacturers have supplied key parts of the jet, including the lithium-ion battery at the center of the investigation. The battery's manufacturer, GS Yuasa, based in Kyoto, has refused comment while the investigation is ongoing. Still, Tonomoto had only praise for the 787, for its fuel-efficiency but also for a cabin that's more comfortable for fliers than older aircraft. "I think it is a fantastic plane," he said at the Transport Ministry. "Once this incident is dealt with, it will again be assessed as a quality plane."
[Associated
Press;
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