The global air cargo industry has seen rapid developments this week as UPS (5X) and FedEx (FX) grounded their entire fleets of MD-11 freighters following a deadly crash at Louisville, Kentucky.
The tragic accident on November 4, 2025, involved a UPS MD-11, resulting in at least 14 fatalities, including three crew members, and additional people unaccounted for, marking the most catastrophic event in UPS Airlines’ history.
Boeing, which inherited the MD-11 program from McDonnell Douglas, formally recommended that all operators suspend MD-11 flights while engineering analysis continues. 5X (with roughly 9% of its fleet as MD-11s) and FX (operating about 28 MD-11s, 4% of their fleet) both responded immediately, confirming their commitment to safety and regulatory coordination.
“Out of an abundance of caution and in the interest of safety, we have proactively grounded our MD-11 fleet,” UPS stated. FedEx echoed similar sentiments in its industry-wide notification.
Western Global Airlines (KD), the only other U.S. operator of active MD-11 freighters, continues limited operations. As of this morning, Flight KD618 (MD-11F) departed Anchorage for Miami, indicating some MD-11s remain in service.
The grounded aircraft are aging freighters, many over 30 years old, highlighting ongoing industry-wide fleet renewal needs. For context, Lufthansa (LH) retired its entire MD-11 fleet in late 2021, replacing them with Boeing 777 freighters. After November 4, the MD-11, once a backbone of the cargo sector, is facing an accelerated safety review and possible retirement from the two largest carriers in the world by revenue for general freight.
November 8 Update
Source: https://www.airwaysmag.com/
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