Carol Tome Announces Fleet Retirement Completion in Q4, Plans for 18 New Boeing 767 Deliveries
A UPS cargo plane crash in Louisville, Kentucky, caused a large fire and massive plumes of black smoke Tuesday afternoon. (Credit: Secretary Sean Duffy via X)
United Postal Service CEO Carol Tome announced on Tuesday that the company is officially retiring its fleet of McDonnell Douglas MD-11 cargo planes. This decision follows a tragic incident involving one of these aircraft in Louisville.
During the fourth-quarter earnings call, Tome emphasized that UPS is adopting a “systematic programmatic approach to modernizing” its global air fleet. This includes an accelerated plan to retire all MD-11 aircraft, a process that was completed in the fourth quarter.
To enhance operational efficiency, UPS will replace much of the retired capacity with the more efficient Boeing 767 aircraft. Over the next 15 months, the company anticipates receiving approximately 18 new Boeing 767s, with 15 of those deliveries expected this year.
UPS TO CUT 30,000 MORE JOBS AMID TURNAROUND PLAN
These strategic changes are aimed at equipping UPS with a more “efficient global network positioned for growth, flexibility, and profitability.”
UPS plane crash in Kentucky. (Credit: X / @WT_Mason)
The MD-11 fleet had already been grounded in November following the deadly crash on November 4. This incident prompted UPS to take immediate action to ensure safety.
UPS WARNS OF ‘MONTHS-LONG’ DISRUPTIONS AFTER GROUNDING ENTIRE JET FLEET AFTER DEADLY KENTUCKY CRASH
In the tragic event, the UPS cargo plane’s engine detached and ignited shortly after taking off from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. The flight, bound for Honolulu, crashed around 5:15 p.m., impacting a nearby industrial area and resulting in the loss of 14 lives, including three crew members and 11 individuals on the ground.
Smoke rises from the site of a UPS cargo plane crash near the UPS Worldport at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Louisville, Kentucky, on Nov. 4, 2025. (Photo by Leandro Lozada/AFP via Getty Images)
Data from the black box revealed that the plane only ascended to about 30 feet above ground level before the crash. Images released by the National Transportation Safety Board depict a fire igniting on the left engine.
FORD TEMPORARILY HALTS KENTUCKY PLANT OPERATIONS AFTER DEADLY UPS PLANE CRASH
Initially, UPS had intended to return the MD-11 fleet to service and was working to comply with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) guidelines. However, the process, initially expected to take weeks, has now been extended to several months, as noted in a memo from UPS Airlines President Bill Moore.
A UPS Boeing 767 aircraft taxis at San Diego International Airport on August 15, 2025 in San Diego, California. (Kevin Carter)
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“Regarding the MD-11 fleet, Boeing’s ongoing evaluation shows that inspections and potential repairs will be more extensive than initially expected,” Moore noted in the memo.
Fox News’ Michael Sinkewicz contributed to this report.
A UPS cargo plane crash in Louisville, Kentucky, caused a large fire and massive plumes of black smoke Tuesday afternoon. (Credit: Secretary Sean Duffy via X)
United Postal Service CEO Carol Tome announced on Tuesday that the company is officially retiring its fleet of McDonnell Douglas MD-11 cargo planes. This decision follows a tragic incident involving one of these aircraft in Louisville.
During the fourth-quarter earnings call, Tome emphasized that UPS is adopting a “systematic programmatic approach to modernizing” its global air fleet. This includes an accelerated plan to retire all MD-11 aircraft, a process that was completed in the fourth quarter.
To enhance operational efficiency, UPS will replace much of the retired capacity with the more efficient Boeing 767 aircraft. Over the next 15 months, the company anticipates receiving approximately 18 new Boeing 767s, with 15 of those deliveries expected this year.
UPS TO CUT 30,000 MORE JOBS AMID TURNAROUND PLAN
These strategic changes are aimed at equipping UPS with a more “efficient global network positioned for growth, flexibility, and profitability.”
UPS plane crash in Kentucky. (Credit: X / @WT_Mason)
The MD-11 fleet had already been grounded in November following the deadly crash on November 4. This incident prompted UPS to take immediate action to ensure safety.
UPS WARNS OF ‘MONTHS-LONG’ DISRUPTIONS AFTER GROUNDING ENTIRE JET FLEET AFTER DEADLY KENTUCKY CRASH
In the tragic event, the UPS cargo plane’s engine detached and ignited shortly after taking off from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. The flight, bound for Honolulu, crashed around 5:15 p.m., impacting a nearby industrial area and resulting in the loss of 14 lives, including three crew members and 11 individuals on the ground.
Smoke rises from the site of a UPS cargo plane crash near the UPS Worldport at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Louisville, Kentucky, on Nov. 4, 2025. (Photo by Leandro Lozada/AFP via Getty Images)
Data from the black box revealed that the plane only ascended to about 30 feet above ground level before the crash. Images released by the National Transportation Safety Board depict a fire igniting on the left engine.
FORD TEMPORARILY HALTS KENTUCKY PLANT OPERATIONS AFTER DEADLY UPS PLANE CRASH
Initially, UPS had intended to return the MD-11 fleet to service and was working to comply with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) guidelines. However, the process, initially expected to take weeks, has now been extended to several months, as noted in a memo from UPS Airlines President Bill Moore.
A UPS Boeing 767 aircraft taxis at San Diego International Airport on August 15, 2025 in San Diego, California. (Kevin Carter)
GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE
“Regarding the MD-11 fleet, Boeing’s ongoing evaluation shows that inspections and potential repairs will be more extensive than initially expected,” Moore noted in the memo.
Fox News’ Michael Sinkewicz contributed to this report.
