But Not For Passenger Service Just Yet ... Ferry Flight To Repair Station Is Planned

British Airways officials say that the Boeing 777 that suffered an uncontained engine failure on its takeoff roll from McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas in September will fly again ... at least on a ferry flight to a maintenance facility.

The airplane was departing Las Vegas for Gatwick Airport on September 8th when the engine failed and caught fire, strewing debris on the runway. The pilot aborted the takeoff, and all 170 people on board were evacuated. 14 suffered minor injuries.

Analysts said they expected that the plane would be considered a "hull loss" ... meaning it had suffered too much damage to be repaired. But the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports that a British Airways spokesman said that the airplane had been inspected and been found to be repairable. The spokeswoman said that a new engine would be hung on the airplane, and it would be ferried to a certified maintenance facility where it would be made airworthy again. "A team from Boeing will carry out the repair work, which will be certified to the same high standards as if the aircraft was brand new," she said.

No timetable for the flight or repairs was given by the airline.

Meanwhile, British Airways is paying about $375 per day in storage fees while it is parked at McCarran. That bill will reach about $31,000 by the end of the year.

(Image from file)

FMI: www.britishairways.com