Boeing is to carry out a flight test of its revolutionary 787 Dreamliner in Japan in early July with its launch customer All Nippon Airways, the two companies have announced.

It will be the first Asian test of the fuel-efficient Dreamliner as the US aerospace giant has long delayed its first delivery to ANA, which is now expected in August or September.

The test will be conducted between 4 and 8 July in flights between Haneda airport in Tokyo and western Japanese airports in Osaka, Okayama and Hiroshima, the two companies said in a statement.

“Giving our employees the opportunity to gain experience with the airplane will help ensure a smoother entry into service late this year,” ANA president Shinichiro Ito said.

In January ANA, the inaugural customer for the delayed passenger jet, said it would seek assurances from Boeing that it could meet the third-quarter delivery date after the US aviation giant pushed back its launch again.

Boeing had originally promised to roll out the plane in 2008, but a series of technical problems and delays have slowed the testing programme for the aircraft.

The Dreamliner claims to be 60 percent quieter than aircraft of similar size, and offers 20 percent fuel savings compared to conventional aircraft. It can fly 10,000 miles non-stop. A top-of-the-range 787-9 costs $200m at list price. There are currently 835 787s on order.