Boeing, the aerospace giant, is expected to announce further hold-ups to its already-delayed 787 Dreamliner jet programme, making it unlikely to deliver all the aircraft promised to customers during its first year of production.

The 787 model, which is already six months behind schedule, is now not expected to complete its first flight

until June after experiencing a variety of problems. There are also concerns about whether Boeing can source enough parts to meet the demand for the new aircraft.

These further expected delays will make it extremely difficult for Boeing to deliver the 109 planes it has agreed to ship by the end of next year, which could leave the group facing millions of dollars in penalty payments to the airlines which are keen to start flying the model.

If the delivery of the new 787 plane is too late, airline customers will increasingly defect to the competing A350 aircraft that is being developed by Airbus, Boeing’s arch-rival, analysts said.

The A350 model is estimated to be about four years behind Boeing’s.

Boeing’s problems were first reported by The Wall Street Journal, which said that the aircraft group may announce a new timetable for the 787 as soon as today.

The 787 is the fastest-selling new aircraft in Boeing’s history, with 817 planes so far ordered, by 53 customers. The plane is highly sought after because it features a combination of lightweight materials and fuel-efficient engines that are expected to make it 20 per cent cheaper to fly and a third less costly to maintain than older jets.

Boeing declined to comment on any problems it may have with the 787.

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