Pilots of a Jetstar 787 Dreamliner encountered problems with both engines of their passenger plane as they came into land at the Japanese city of Osaka on Friday.

Initial accounts of the mid-air incident indicate one of the Boeing 787's engines suffered an unexpected surge in speed during the crucial approach to landing at Osaka's Kansai International Airport.

A Jetstar 787, similar to the one pictured, suffered engine problems while on descent into Osaka on Friday.

A short time later, the other General Electric engine on Flight JQ15 briefly encountered the same problem, sources familiar with the matter said.

The Jetstar 787-8 aircraft, which can carry as many as 335 passengers in economy and business class, was en route from Cairns. Jetstar's fleet of 11 Dreamliners are powered by GEnx engines, which are manufactured by General Electric subsidiary GE Aviation.