Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp. will push back delivery of the first Japanese-made passenger jet by a year, the fourth time it has delayed bringing the Mitsubishi Regional Jet to market.
ANA Holdings Inc., the parent company of All Nippon Airways Co., had been expecting the plane in the second quarter of 2017, but the schedule has been pushed back "approximately one year," Mitsubishi Aircraft said in a statement Thursday. The company identified "several issues" that need addressing, the statement said, without specifying them.
"Whilst this latest delay is very disappointing, we remain confident of the benefits the MRJ will bring to the ANA fleet," Japan's largest airline said by email. "In the meantime, we have sufficient aircraft capacity to meet demand and implement our network plans until the extended delivery date."