According to a report from Flight International, Qantas has dropped 15 of the 65 Boeing 787s it had on order. The airline is also deferring another 15 aircraft deliveries by about three years.
The change leaves Qantas with 50 firm 787 orders: 35 787-900s for Qantas itself, and 15 787-800s for their Jetstar subsidiary.
Earlier this week, Boeing announced that the first flight of the 787, which was widely expected to occur on or around June 30th, would be delayed indefinitely due to a structural defect found on the static test frame. Qantas says the order adjustment is not related to this new delay and is solely a reaction to the difficult economy.