Boeing's state-of-the-art Dreamliner passenger jet has been grounded in Japan, India, Chile and the USA amid safety concerns. The airliner has been hit with a spate of technical malfunctions in the past month. These range from cracked windshields, brake and electrical problems, and fuel spills. A battery fault found on Wednesday on one of Japan's All Nippon Airways (ANA) planes forced the flight to make an emergency landing. A Japanese transport official described the incident as "highly serious," which means there could have been an accident. Japanese authorities have suspended all Dreamliner flights until further notice. Japan's airlines have 24 of the 50 Dreamliners Boeing has sold to date.

The Dreamliner is expected to revolutionize the aviation industry. Its lightweight design, fuel efficiency and advanced safety features mean airlines have been queuing up to buy it. Boeing says it is investigating the issues but expressed confidence in the aircraft's safety. A company official has put the difficulties down to "teething problems" associated with a brand new airplane. Boeing CEO Jim McNerney said: "We will be taking every necessary step in the coming days to assure our customers and the travelling public of the 787's safety and to return the airplanes to service." He added: "Boeing deeply regrets…the inconvenience to [our customers] and their passengers."