Air Canada order for Boeing 787s delayed

Deliveries of Air Canada's order for Boeing 787 Dreamliners have been delayed by an average of five to seven months.

The carrier said Tuesday that it will now take delivery of the first five jets in the fourth quarter of 2013 and first half of 2014.

"Boeing has indicated that they continue to evaluate the schedule for deliveries of Air Canada's remaining 32 firm orders for Boeing 787 aircraft and would provide Air Canada with an update when available," the Montreal-based carrier said in a statement.

Industry analysts had been expecting delays in when Air Canada would start receiving the 787s, given production snags at the aircraft maker.

The Dreamliner is being touted as a fuel-efficient jet capable of travelling the longer distances traditionally flown by larger planes.

Air Canada has placed 37 firm orders for the often-postponed Dreamliner, a jet that's billed as offering more flexibility in route scheduling, providing a greater choice of flight times.