Boeing Co on Tuesday reaffirmed that it is working toward the first delivery of its delayed 787 Dreamliner in the first quarter of 2010 and the first test flight in the second quarter of 2009.

The company said market demand for the carbon-composite jetliner is strong with 878 firms orders from 57 customers.

Boeing has been struggling to assemble the plane because of late design changes, parts shortages and substandard work by contractors.

(Reporting by Kyle Peterson, editing by Dave Zimmerman)