Boeing 787 Dreamliner nightmare as airlines warned about ice forming on plane engines Airlines told to avoid high-level thunderstorms that may produce ice crystals Ice could affect 747-8 and 787 planes powered by General Electric Japan Airlines has pulled Dreamliners from two international routes It is the latest in a spate of mishaps for Boeing's new 787 plane Fifteen airlines have been warned about the risk of ice forming on Boeing's new 747-8 and 787 Dreamliner planes during high-level thunderstorms. Japan Airlines has pulled 787s from two international routes amid concerns about the issue, which could affect engines made by General Electric (GE). It is the latest in a spate of mishaps for the 787, which has previously experienced issues with power supply, brakes, oil and fan shaft, as well as plane fires. Action: Japan Airlines has pulled Boeing 787s from two international routes amid concerns about ice The entire fleet was grounded earlier this year thanks to repeated faults in the planes' lithium-ion batteries. The latest issue only affects the Boeing 747-8 series - powered by GE's GEnx engines - and the new 787 Dreamliner, which is powered either by GE's engines or Rolls-Royce's Trent 1000. July 28 2012: A fan shaft fails during runway tests in South Carolina December 2012: A Dreamliner was forced to make an emergency landing in New Orleans January 7 2013: An unoccupied Dreamliner flight bursts into flames at Boston airport January 15 2013: A flight made an emergency landing in Japan after a smoke alarm went off. The string of incidents led to regulators ordering a global grounding of the entire Dreamliner fleet, which lasted for four months June 2 2013: Battery-related problems were reported on a Japan Airlines aircraft forcing the airline to use an alternative plane June 12 2013: A flight in Japan was cancelled after one of the engines failed to start June 18 2013: A United Airlines flight was diverted to Seattle due to an oil-filter problem June 24 2013: A Dreamliner operated by United Airlines had to make an emergency landing in Denver due to a brake problem July 3 2013: Polish airline LOT cancelled a Dreamliner flight to Chicago because the aircraft had "problems with the power supply July 12 2013: Ethiopian Airlines plane catches fire on the runway at Heathrow, forcing the closure of the whole airport July 18 2013: Japan Airlines plane bound for Tokyo had to return to Boston's Logan airport after take-off because of a possible issue with the fuel pumps November 2013: Japan Airlines pulls 787s from two international routes amid concerns about ice forming on the planes Other airlines to have been warned about the icing problem include Lufthansa, United Airlines, an arm of United Continental Holdings and Cathay Pacific Airlines. They have been prohibited from flying the affected aircraft at high altitude within 50 nautical miles of thunderstorms that may contain ice crystals. A Boeing spokesman said: 'Boeing and JAL share a commitment to the safety of passengers and crews on board our airplanes. 'We respect JAL's decision to suspend some 787 service on specific routes.' The warning comes after six planes powered by GE's GEnx - five 747-8s and one 787 - suffered temporary loss of thrust while flying at high altitude from April to November this year. The problem was caused by a build-up of ice crystals - intially just behind the front fan - which spread through the engine. However, all of the aircraft landed at their planned destinations safely. Today, Japan Airlines said it will replace Dreamliners on its Tokyo-Delhi and Tokyo-Singapore flights with other types of aircraft, while also dropping a plan to use 787s for its Tokyo-Sydney route from December. It will continue to fly 787s for other international and domestic routes, which are considered unlikely to be affected by cumulonimbus cloud for the time being. A GE spokesman said: 'The aviation industry is experiencing a growing number of ice-crystal icing encounters in recent years as the population of large commercial airliners has grown, particularly in tropical regions of the world. He added that GE and Boeing are attempting to modify the engine control system software in a bid to eliminate the problem. The 787 - the first passenger jet built mainly from lightweight carbon-composites.- incorporates a raft of changes in the way passenger jets are designed, including greater use of electrical systems that save weight compared with older hydraulics. It has suffered a spate of disasters since it was introduced to commercial airlines in 2011. In July, a 787 jet operated by Ethiopian Airlines caught fire on the runway at Heathrow - forcing the closure of the entire airport. Disaster: Earlier this year, a parked Ethiopian Boeing 787 Dreamliner caught fire at Heathrow airport Closure: The fire kept the airport shut for 90 minutes and was caused by a fault in the lithium battery powering the plane's emergency beacon A month earlier, Japan had been forced to cancel a 787 flight and use an alternative plane for another due to battery-related problems and engine failure. And in January this year, an unoccupied Dreamliner burst into flames at Boston airport. However, despite its numerous issues, the 787 plane is still considered one of the most impressive and advanced aircraft in the industry.