FedEx Express plans to resume flights with its McDonnell Douglas MD-11 fleet in May, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.
Company management told employees it is awaiting “the final, FAA-approved procedure” required to bring the three-engine freighter back into service.
FedEx has scheduled internal briefings on the aircraft and plans to gradually reintroduce the type, with at least two MD-11 freighters expected to fly in the first half of May, a person familiar with the matter told the newspaper.
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The aircraft has been largely grounded since the November 4, 2025 accident in Louisville, Kentucky, which triggered a halt in operations of the type while authorities assessed potential safety measures.
The timeline for a full return to service remains uncertain and depends on the Federal Aviation Administration completing its review of operational procedures.
FedEx is the largest remaining operator of the MD-11, with 29 freighters in its fleet. Western Global Airlines operates a smaller fleet of about 15 aircraft but has not disclosed whether it plans to resume operations.
UPS, which had been one of the main users of the type, retired its MD-11 fleet at the end of 2025 following the grounding, a move confirmed earlier this year.
The episode has raised questions about the long-term viability of the MD-11, one of the last three-engine widebody freighters still in service. The aircraft had already been approaching retirement, facing competition from newer twin-engine freighters that offer lower fuel consumption and operating costs.
Developed as an evolution of the DC-10, the MD-11 entered service in the early 1990s but struggled to meet its original performance targets and saw limited demand in passenger operations before transitioning almost entirely to cargo use.
