American Airlines has encountered challenges with its new Boeing 787-9P aircraft, specifically the N846AN model, due to persistent maintenance issues. This aircraft, part of a premium-heavy configuration aimed at enhancing long-haul cabin offerings, was scheduled for commercial flights starting June 5 but faced repeated cancellations and delays.
The N846AN was delivered to American Airlines on June 4 from Seattle's Paine Field International Airport to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. However, technical difficulties began shortly after delivery. The aircraft was unable to complete its repositioning flight AA9783 as planned and returned to DFW after an hour in the air. Subsequent scheduled flights from Chicago O'Hare International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport were also affected by maintenance problems.
Online discussions have speculated about potential causes of these issues. JonNYC, known for sharing airline news on Twitter/Bluesky, suggested that a cabin door alignment problem might be causing pressurization issues. Despite being considered minor, this issue led to the grounding of the plane until repairs could be completed. JonNYC later reported that work on the door seals is nearing completion: "Regardless, the work on the door seals is almost complete, and it doesn't seem that there's anything else preventing return to service at that point."