• FedEx is preparing to return its grounded MD-11 freighters to service by the end of May 2026, following inspections and maintenance carried out with Boeing and the FAA.
• The move comes as UPS retires its MD-11 fleet, leaving FedEx among the last major operators of the ageing cargo aircraft.

FedEx has announced that it is working with Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration to return its grounded MD-11 cargo aircraft to service by the end of May 2026, as reported in AeroTime.

The integrator confirmed that inspections and maintenance activities are currently underway as part of efforts to safely resume MD-11 operations. The fleet was grounded following the fatal crash involving a UPS-operated MD-11 in Louisville, Kentucky.

“We continue to work with Boeing and the FAA to address any required inspection and maintenance that may be needed to return our MD-11 aircraft safely to service,” FedEx said in a statement cited by Reuters. The company is targeting a return to service by May 31, although it has not disclosed how many aircraft will be included in the initial restart.

The update comes shortly after UPS confirmed the retirement of its entire MD-11 fleet, bringing more than two decades of operations with the type to an end, as outlined in its fourth-quarter 2025 earnings report.

FedEx now remains one of the last major US operators of the MD-11, an aircraft that has long played a central role in its long-haul cargo network. While valued for its payload capacity and range, the ageing tri-jet has come under increasing scrutiny in recent years following safety incidents and maintenance concerns.

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