Boeing dreamliner faces new problem as fuel pump grounds flight

A Japan Airlines flight to Tokyo has returned to the US amid a suspected fuel pump issue on the Boeing 787 aircraft.

It is the latest setback for Chicago-based Boeing’s new Dreamliner plane after a lithium ion battery problem grounded the fleet in January and a fire on an Ethiopian Airlines plane last week.

Japan Airlines spokeswoman Carol Anderson said Flight 007 returned to Boston’s Logan Airport last night “as a standard precautionary measure” to check a maintenance message indicator showing the possible fuel pump problem.

Federal Aviation Administration spokeswoman Arlene Salac said the pilot did not declare an emergency and the aircraft burned off fuel before landing.

The plane left for Narita Airport, Tokyo just before pm local time yesterday for a flight of nearly 14 hours. It returned shortly after 6pm.