United Parcel Service’s (UPS) and FedEx’s fleet of MD-11 cargo aircraft will likely remain grounded for months rather than weeks as had initially been expected, according to an internal memo obtained by Newsweek, potentially increasing pressure on shipping over the Christmas holiday.
The vast grounding of the Boeing-made planes follows the November 4 crash of Flight 2976 in Louisville, Kentucky, which killed 14 people, including all three crew members, and injured at least 23 others.
In the new memo, UPS Airlines president Bill Moore told employees on Wednesday that Boeing’s “ongoing evaluation shows that inspections and potential repairs will be more extensive than initially expected,” and return to service “will take several months instead of weeks.”
UPS and FedEx have about 50 MD-11 jets between them in their respective fleets that number hundreds of planes, Reuters reports. Average daily package volume can double during the holiday season.
Moore said UPS “will not compromise safety” and pledged continued transparency.
Newsweek contacted UPS, FedEx and the Federal Aviation Administration via email on Thursday.
This is a developing story; updates to follow.
