MD-11 Cargo Jets Face ‘Extended Grounding’ for Inspections

Western Global Airlines announces pilot furloughs for its fleet of the planes.

Eric Kulisch

Tuesday, November 25, 2025 at 11:30 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

An MD-11 freighter aircraft operated by Western Global Airlines makes its final approach to Chicago O’Hare International Airport on Oct. 26, 2020. [Credit: Shutterstock/Carlos Yudica]

Key Takeaways:

The no-fly ban on MD-11 cargo jets, following a fatal UPS crash attributed to engine pylon fatigue cracks, is now expected to be significantly prolonged due to the need for more invasive inspections, repairs, and parts replacements.
Western Global Airlines, heavily reliant on its MD-11 fleet, has furloughed approximately 75 pilots indefinitely as a direct consequence of the extended grounding, citing the need to ensure the company's survival.
FedEx and UPS, also impacted by the MD-11 groundings and facing widebody capacity shortages during the peak season, are implementing contingency plans such as consolidating flights, deferring maintenance, and contracting smaller freighters from partners.

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Inspections and potential repairs for MD–11 cargo jets under a no-fly ban following this month’s fatal crash of a UPS freighter could take much longer than some originally expected, leaving FedEx, UPS and Western Global Airlines with a shortage of widebody capacity during the peak shipping season.

Western Global Airlines on Friday informed all MD-11 pilots that they have been furloughed indefinitely, effective on November 22, because of the longer time horizon for completing safety checks mandated by the FAA, according to an internal letter from Tom Romnios, vice president of human resources. The letter was posted on LinkedIn by Nik Fialka, a professional pilot who hosts the “Ready 4 Pushback” podcast.