14 DAY TRIAL // United Airlines' brand-new 787 Dreamliner met mechanical difficulties on Tuesday, December 4. It had to be brought to the ground midflight, reports say.
The incident comes just one month after the airline premiered its 787, Daily Mail writes. It was carrying 174 passengers and 10 members of the staff, on United's 1146 flight.
Fortunately, no accidents occurred, as the plane's landing was smooth. The aircraft was set to fly from Houston to Newark; however, it was diverted to New Orleans.
Emergency vehicles were brought in on the runway as the plane landed, ensuring its safe arrival.
A spokesperson for United noted in a statement that no one aboard was injured during the untimely descent.
“The Boeing 787 aircraft landed safely and without incident,” they say.
Arrangements were made for passengers to be transported to their destination.
“We are re-accommodating the customers on a different aircraft to Newark,” the airline reps adds.
An unidentified mechanical malfunction was cited as the cause of the deviation.
“[We] will work with Boeing to review the diversion and determine the cause,” United reassures costumers.
The inaugural flight was held on November 4, with the plane landing at O'Hare international Airport in Chicago, from Houston. The event was witnessed by aviation aficionados and industry experts.
Boeing has already sold 800 787 Dreamliners, but clients had to wait three years for the products to be delivered. The company aims to make its jets more fuel efficient, and provide more comfort to the passengers.
However, this is not the first incident since the plane's launch. In South Carolina, in July, a Dreamliner's engine caught fire while at the Charleston International Airport.
Debris from the jet caused several other small fires, prompting a shutdown of all the runways.