What happened
United Airlines' newest Boeing 787-9, registration N61101, featuring the new "United Elevate" interiors and the 100th-anniversary decal, continues to suffer from maintenance issues despite being sent back to Boeing for repairs. The aircraft, which debuted on a flight to Singapore (SIN), diverted due to a maintenance issue on its return leg. It was subsequently ferried to Boeing's maintenance base in Moses Lake (MWH) on June 20, 2026, where it spent approximately 10 days. Boeing replaced both TCAS (Traffic Collision Avoidance System) antennas, but the plane returned to San Francisco (SFO) on June 30, 2026, only to experience another TCAS-related cancellation on its July 3 return flight to London (LHR). The recurring issue centers on the TCAS system, which alerts pilots to nearby aircraft. Despite test flights in Moses Lake suggesting the plane was safe, the same fault reappeared, leading to the plane being ferried back to SFO empty on July 4, 2026. This highlights potential production quality concerns with United's expanding fleet of new Dreamliners