FedEx has officially returned part of its MD-11F fleet to commercial operations, marking the aircraft type’s first scheduled flights since global restrictions were imposed after the fatal UPS Airlines crash in Louisville in November 2025.
Two freighters registered N521FE and N621FE have now resumed domestic operations in the United States, operating routes between Memphis and New York as well as Memphis and Miami, according to flight tracking data.
Their return comes after the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) lifted the restrictions placed on MD-11 and MD-11F aircraft following the Louisville accident, which triggered a worldwide grounding of the type last year.
For FedEx, the move represents the beginning of a gradual reactivation process rather than a full fleet return.
The company currently operates 29 MD-11Fs, but only two aircraft have gone back into service so far. The remaining 27 are still parked while undergoing overhaul work, maintenance and detailed inspections required under revised FAA safety measures.
The MD-11 has long played an important role in FedEx’s cargo network, particularly on high-density domestic overnight routes and international freight sectors connected through the company’s Memphis superhub. Even a limited return of the aircraft helps restore some widebody cargo capacity into the U.S. express freight market.
FedEx said its engineering, maintenance and airline safety teams have spent the last several months carrying out extensive inspection and reactivation work across the fleet.
According to the company, technicians are currently working from 16 different locations worldwide as part of the programme. The process includes inspection and maintenance work on wing-mounted engine pylons, with major work taking place in Indianapolis and Memphis.
The FAA only cleared the aircraft to return after operators complied with new inspection and maintenance requirements introduced following the Louisville investigation.
The grounding itself followed the crash of a UPS MD 11F shortly after takeoff from Louisville International Airport on November 4, 2025. Investigators reported that the aircraft suffered separation of its left engine before crashing into an industrial area beyond the airport perimeter.
The accident killed all three people onboard as well as 12 individuals on the ground. Following the investigation, the FAA expanded restrictions beyond the MD-11 family to also include McDonnell Douglas DC-10 aircraft.
While FedEx has decided to gradually return the aircraft to service, other operators are taking a different direction.
UPS has permanently retired its MD 11 fleet, which previously included 26 aircraft. Meanwhile, Western Global Airlines has yet to reactivate any of its 15 MD-11Fs, all of which remain parked according to current fleet data.
For FedEx, however, the aircraft still represents valuable lift capacity across established cargo corridors, especially while demand for overnight freight services remains strong. The company continues to operate the world’s largest MD-11F fleet, even as newer-generation freighters progressively enter service.
Additional aircraft are expected to return gradually, but only once they complete overhaul programmes and fully meet the FAA’s revised inspection and safety requirements.
