FedEx said it is working with Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to return its grounded MD-11 cargo jets to service by May 31, according to Reuters.
On Wednesday the carrier confirmed inspections and maintenance actions are underway as part of the effort to safely resume MD-11 operations. FedEx temporarily grounded the aircraft type after a UPS–operated MD-11 crashed at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in November, killing all three crewmembers on board.
“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 news comes a day after UPS announced it has officially retired its entire MD-11 fleet during the company’s Q4 2025 earnings report.
FedEx is now one of the last major U.S. operators of the MD-11. The company has not disclosed how many aircraft will return to service or whether the grounding could lead to longer-term changes in its fleet strategy.
Earlier this month, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said investigators found a cracked part on the UPS aircraft involved in the Louisville crash that had been flagged by Boeing more than a decade ago. Officials have not yet stated whether the issue played a role in the accident, and the investigation is still underway.