The first aircraft-leasing company to order Boeing’s advanced 787 Dreamliner has slashed its order from 21 to 16 aircraft, citing economic uncertainties, reports the Wall Street Journal. It’s the second time this year that Boeing has lost an order for the jetliner, which is nearly two years behind schedule. Last month, Russian carrier S7 canceled its order for 15.
Dubai’s LCAL had expected to have some of the planes in service by now—after being promised a May 2008 delivery date—and had planned to charge a premium for the groundbreaking plane. LCAL and S7 are the first of what Boeing said it expects would be a “modest level” of cancellations this year. (More Boeing stories.)