Boeing proposes 'permanent' fix for 787

Boeing, in the crossfire for battery incidents in recent weeks, says a proposed fix to its grounded 787 Dreamliner passenger jets is permanent and takes into account the risk of the battery fire and overheating.

This comes as all 50 of the Dreamliners in service have stayed grounded since two separate battery incidents in the US and Japan in mid-January.

Speaking to reporters in Tokyo after talks with Japan's Transport Minister Akihiro Ota, the CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes says the company has proposed its fix to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration last Friday is a permanent solution, not just an interim patch-up.

Ray Conner, CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, said, "This solution takes into account any possible event that could occur, any causal factor that could cause an event, and we are very confident that we have this fix that will be permanent and will allow us to continue with the technology."

Conner also says the Dreamliner is still a game changer, with good overall performance.

He said, "The 787, which is an aeroplane which we have developed with Japan, is still the game-changing aeroplane that it always was designed to be. The performance of the aircraft, outside of this incident, has been good. It has been providing the air alliance with the kind of savings that they expected, that we expected, and we're very hopeful that we will be able to get back in the air very soon."

Conner also dismissed earlier media reports that Boeing and GS Yuasa, the Japanese firm that makes batteries for the Dreamliner, disagree about what should be included in a package of measures. Conner also stressed that Boeing maintains "a great partnership" with the Kyoto-based battery maker.