UPS Grounds Entire Fleet of Aging MD-11 Planes Amid Deadly Crash Concerns
In a move that's likely to rattle the shipping industry, UPS has grounded its entire fleet of aging McDonnell Douglas MD-11 planes after a fatal crash earlier this month. The airline says it will be several months before these aircraft are back in service, as inspectors and mechanics work to address safety concerns.
The deadly crash on November 4th in Louisville, Kentucky, claimed the lives of 14 people and injured at least 23 more when one of the plane's engines detached during takeoff. Cargo carriers were quick to follow suit, grounding their MD-11 fleets ahead of new Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) guidelines.
However, Boeing's assessment of the situation has raised eyebrows. Inspections and potential repairs are now expected to be much more extensive than initially thought, according to an internal memo from UPS Airlines President Bill Moore.
This means that UPS will have to rely on contingency plans to deliver for customers throughout the peak holiday season. The airline says it will "take the time needed to ensure that every aircraft is safe," but this could still pose a significant challenge.
The MD-11 fleet, which consists of 109 planes averaging over 30 years old, makes up just 9% of UPS's entire airline fleet and 4% of FedEx's. As these planes are now grounded, it raises concerns about the impact on air cargo during the critical holiday season.
Boeing, which took over as manufacturer of MD-11s following a merger with McDonnell Douglas in 1997, says it's working to provide instructions and technical support to operators. However, the FAA is still waiting for Boeing to develop procedures for inspections and any corrective actions, pending its approval.
In a move that's likely to rattle the shipping industry, UPS has grounded its entire fleet of aging McDonnell Douglas MD-11 planes after a fatal crash earlier this month. The airline says it will be several months before these aircraft are back in service, as inspectors and mechanics work to address safety concerns.
The deadly crash on November 4th in Louisville, Kentucky, claimed the lives of 14 people and injured at least 23 more when one of the plane's engines detached during takeoff. Cargo carriers were quick to follow suit, grounding their MD-11 fleets ahead of new Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) guidelines.
However, Boeing's assessment of the situation has raised eyebrows. Inspections and potential repairs are now expected to be much more extensive than initially thought, according to an internal memo from UPS Airlines President Bill Moore.
This means that UPS will have to rely on contingency plans to deliver for customers throughout the peak holiday season. The airline says it will "take the time needed to ensure that every aircraft is safe," but this could still pose a significant challenge.
The MD-11 fleet, which consists of 109 planes averaging over 30 years old, makes up just 9% of UPS's entire airline fleet and 4% of FedEx's. As these planes are now grounded, it raises concerns about the impact on air cargo during the critical holiday season.
Boeing, which took over as manufacturer of MD-11s following a merger with McDonnell Douglas in 1997, says it's working to provide instructions and technical support to operators. However, the FAA is still waiting for Boeing to develop procedures for inspections and any corrective actions, pending its approval.
I'm worried about the holiday season now... how are packages gonna get delivered on time? it's not exactly the most reliable thing to have your whole ship come crashing down (literally) just because of some engine issue 
anyone else stressing about this yet?
. my heart goes out to them and their loved ones. it's heartbreaking to think about how many families are affected by this accident.
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. safety should always be the top priority, especially when it comes to transporting people and goods. let's all send our positive vibes to everyone involved 
. I get it, safety first and all that, but what about the holiday rush? Are they gonna have to fly commercial flights on empty cargo runs or something? It's like they're setting themselves up for a disaster 
. I guess they want us to sit back and watch our packages pile up while the planes sit idle? No thanks! 
. These old MD-11 planes are like, what, 30 years old? That's even older than my grandpa! 
They're basically flying coffins just waiting to happen.
And what's with Boeing being all secretive about it? Can't they just give us some straight answers for once? It's like, I trust them to make good airplanes, but not so much on their ability to keep the industry running smoothly during peak season 
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. It's just crazy!
. A fatal crash that killed 14 people and injured 23 more and UPS just grounds their entire fleet of aging MD-11 planes? That's a lot of planes, and it raises some serious questions about the FAA's approval process. I mean, how could they let these planes fly for so long with such concerns about engine detachment? 
and they're still flying around?! 
UPS and FedEx gotta get their act together and find a way to make this right ASAP 
! 14 people lost their lives in that crash in Louisville and it's just heartbreaking 
. The thought of flying on a plane that's over 30 years old is just too scary for me 
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. Safety first, right? 
It's not like Boeing can rush into this and expect everything to be fine... I mean, have you seen those planes? They're ancient! 
. Peak season is when they need to be flying at full capacity, but it sounds like they'll have to scramble with contingency plans 
anyhoo UPS says its gotta take its time to get everythin safe, which is def a good thing, dont wanna have no accidents but it means they're gonna have to get creative w/ delivery plans 
like how are they gonna make sure all the packages get delivered on time?! this is def goin be a wild ride for UPS and its customers 
... like, can't we all just get along and fix the planes or something? 
come on guys, let's not jump to conclusions here... yeah I know 14 people lost their lives in that crash and it's super serious, but grounding the whole fleet might be a bit extreme? 
FedEx and other cargo carriers are basically saying "peace out" to the MD-11s too, so it's not just UPS taking a hit. 
let's give them some time to figure things out before jumping into panic mode. 
these MD-11s are like dinosaurs in the sky, you can't blame UPS for wanting to get rid of them ASAP. but at the same time, I feel bad for all the people who need this air cargo delivered on time... it's gonna be a mess during the holidays 
like maybe someone just didn't do their job right back in the day? 
I don't know, but as long as safety comes first, I'm good with whatever UPS decides to do. But I gotta say, I hope they figure this out fast so everyone can get their stuff delivered 
but then you have Boeing trying to brush this off like everything's gonna be fine again... I don't think that's how we should approach these things... we need to take extra precautions and not rush into anything until we're sure it's safe 
anyway what's up with UPS grounding their entire fleet of md-11 planes? seems like a bummer for all those people who need their packages delivered on time during the holiday season 
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