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, initiated after a fatal crash linked to engine pylon fatigue cracks, is expected to be prolonged due to more complex and invasive inspection and repair requirements.
Western Global Airlines, heavily reliant on its MD-11 fleet, has indefinitely furloughed approximately 75 pilots, stating the extended grounding threatens the company's survival.
FedEx and UPS are also facing widebody capacity shortages during peak shipping season but have implemented contingency plans, including flight consolidation and contracting partner airlines, to compensate for the grounded MD-11s.

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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.