The US FAA tonight grounded all US-registered 787s pending a full investigation and action plan on the battery fire risk. That is the same issue as some of the problems that NH had on their 787s. NH and JL voluntarily grounded their 787s.
LAN's Dreamliner does fly to the States. Though the FAA has jurisdiction over all US airspace, they have not banned the 787 from the skies, just grounded any US-registered ones. Which currently means only the sCO (Continental subsidiary) operational division of United.
However, the confidence factor of a US consumer market for a "grounded plane" flown by a foreign carrier when the US's own carriers are not allowed to fly it for safety reasons makes me wonder what LAN will do. Anybody heard any news from LAN? Or speculation while waiting for news?
CNN report:
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/01/16/tr...html?hpt=hp_t1