Regarding its latest statement, the FAA says it has alerted “the international aviation community to the action so other civil aviation authorities can take parallel action to cover the fleets operating in their own countries.”

The groundings were prompted by an incident on Jan. 16 in Japan, when an ANA 787 on a domestic flight declared an emergency and diverted to another airport. Pilots reported messages on cockpit indicators concerning the battery and other systems, and they also noticed an unusual odour in the cockpit and cabin. Inspections revealed that the main battery in the forward electronic equipment bay was discolored and its electrolysis solution had leaked.

Concerns had already been raised about the 787’s use of lithium ion battery technology, and another battery problem arose on a JAL 787 in Boston on Jan. 7.