UPS plane crash leads to delays during peak delivery season.

UPS has announced that its fleet of McDonnell Douglas MD-11 aircraft, grounded following a fatal crash, will not be returning to service in time for the holiday peak. The airline communicated this update in an internal memo shared with employees on Wednesday.

According to UPS Airlines president Bill Moore, the planes will undergo thorough inspections and potential repairs to comply with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations. Initially, the process was expected to last a few weeks, but the timeline has now been extended to several months.

The grounding follows a tragic MD-11 crash on November 4 in Louisville, Kentucky, which claimed 14 lives and injured at least 23 people when the aircrafts left engine separated during takeoff. Following the incident, cargo carriers preemptively grounded their MD-11 fleets even before the FAA issued a formal directive.

Inspections and necessary repairs will be more extensive than first anticipated, Moore wrote in the memo. A UPS spokesperson confirmed that the company will implement contingency plans to maintain delivery services during the busy season, emphasizing that safety is the top priority.

The remaining 109 MD-11 planes, all over 30 years old, are used exclusively for cargo transport. They account for roughly 9% of UPSs fleet and 4% of FedExs fleet. Boeing, the current manufacturer following its 1997 merger with McDonnell Douglas, stated that it is actively providing guidance and technical support to operators to ensure FAA compliance. The FAA will review and approve any inspection procedures and corrective measures proposed by Boeing.

Author: Sophia Brooks