In January, UPS Airlines announced that it would retire its entire fleet of 27 McDonnell Douglas MD-11 widebody cargo jets to be replaced by the newer Boeing 767-300F. Safety of flight was a primary concern, but the final decision was based on business: the investigation of UPS flight 2976 revealed a critical failure of the left-wing engine pylon that would have required extensive non-destructive testing of the remaining jets, and UPS wrote off the entire MD-11 fleet at a loss of nearly $140 million. FedEx, by contrast, returned its examples to service.
On capacity, the MD-11F carries 26 main deck pallet positions compared with 24 for the 767-300F, a small sacrifice for express operators. The 767 cargo variant boasts 35% lower fuel consumption than the older trijet, along with near-perfect mechanical reliability and a streamlined maintenance program. Boeing has locked in a deadline of 2027 to close the commercial 767 production line once current orders for UPS and FedEx are filled, and UPS, the launch customer for the 767-300F, expects its final deliveries in 2027.