UPS and FedEx have grounded a portion of their air fleets after a recommendation from aircraft manufacturer Boeing.
A Boeing MD-11 used by UPS crashed Tuesday in Louisville, Kentucky, killing at least 14 people, including the three crew members on board. UPS and FedEx said the decision to halt the use of their MD-11 aircraft from Boeing came out of an abundance of caution and with safety in mind following the crash.
Boeing made the recommendation for fleets using MD-11 aircraft to suspend flight operations while the manufacturer conducts additional engineering analysis, per an emailed statement from Boeing to Supply Chain Dive. The company added that it will continue coordinating with the Federal Aviation Administration on the matter.
MD-11s represent about 9% of UPS' air fleet. The company had 29 MD-11s in its fleet at the end of 2024. UPS retired two of the aircraft from service this year as of Sept. 30, according to a securities filing.
"Contingency plans are in place to ensure we can continue to deliver the reliable service our customers around the world count on," UPS said in an emailed statement. A company spokesperson added that UPS expects the grounding to be temporary.
FedEx has 28 MD-11s in service, making up roughly 4% of its overall fleet. The carrier aims to retire its entire MD-11 fleet by the end of 2032 — an extension of a previously planned retirement date of 2028 — per a securities filing.
"We are immediately implementing contingency plans within our integrated air-ground network to minimize disruptions," FedEx said in an emailed statement. "Our teams are focused on delivering the highest standards of safety and service for our customers and team members."
The MD-11 groundings mark another recent hurdle for the flow of air cargo. The FAA has ordered a 10% cut in air traffic at 40 major U.S. airports due to an ongoing government shutdown. While the overall impact on air freight is expected to be limited, the reductions could present some temporary constraints for domestic operations depending on how long they last, experts told Supply Chain Dive.
