Ethiopian Airlines first to resume Dreamliner flights

An Ethiopian Airlines' 787 Dreamliner departs from the Bole International Airport in Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa on April 27.

Ethiopian Airlines became the world's first carrier to resume flying Boeing Co's 787 Dreamliner passenger jets, landing the first commercial flight since the global fleet was grounded three months ago following incidents of overheating in the batteries providing auxiliary power.

Randy Tinseth, vice president of marketing for Boeing commercial airplanes (front), walks from an Ethiopian Airlines' 787 Dreamliner after it arrived at the Jomo Kenyatta international airport in Kenya's capital Nairobi on April 27.

Aviation engineers inspect an Ethiopian Airlines' 787 Dreamliner after it arrived at the Jomo Kenyatta international airport in Kenya's capital Nairobi April 27.

A cabin crew member (L) walks inside an Ethiopian Airlines' 787 Dreamliner after it arrived at the Jomo Kenyatta international airport in Kenya's capital Nairobi on April 27.

A cabin crew member dressed in a traditional outfit walks inside an Ethiopian Airlines' 787 Dreamliner after it arrived at the Jomo Kenyatta international airport in Kenya's capital Nairobi on April 27.

Fekadu Kebede, an Ethiopian Airlines manager, sits inside the cockpit of their 787 Dreamliner after it arrived at the Jomo Kenyatta international airport in Nairobi.

"We would like to thank Ethiopian Airlines for the patience, support and leadership shown throughout the period that the 787 Dreamliner has been grounded," Boeing Commercial Airplanes President Ray Conner said in a news release.

All Nippon Airways, the Japanese launch customer for Boeing's 787, also flew its first Dreamliner in more than three months on April 28, 2013, to test reinforced batteries installed by the US aircraft maker.

Boeing Commercial Airplanes Chief Executive Ray Conner gets off an All Nippon Airways' Boeing 787 Dreamliner plane after a test flight at Haneda airport in Tokyo on April 28.

The All Nippon Airways flight was the second by an airline since aviation regulators gave permission for 787 operations to restart after batteries on two of them overheated in mid January.