FedEx orders more Boeing and ATR freighters; delays MD-11 retirement
Dhaka: FedEx Corporation has confirmed orders for 8 Boeing 777 and 10 ATR 72-600 freighters and decided to delay retirement of the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 fleet.
FedEx informed with an investor release that it exercised options to purchase an additional eight Boeing 777 freighters. The first five units of this order are scheduled to be delivered in 2026 and the remaining three in 2027. Apart from the eight units, FedEx has purchased two used 777 freighters from an undisclosed party.
In another release, Franco-Italian aircraft manufacturer ATR has announced the transportation giant has placed an order for 10 ATR 72-600 freighters, in addition to a previous order for 30 units. ATR has delivered 23 aircraft of the previous order already and the new order for an additional 10 units will be delivered between 2027 and 2029.
A surge of international non-parcel cargo service demand has prompted FedEx to secure these orders with multiple aircraft manufacturers and influenced the express logistics operator to reconsider its plan to retire the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 fleet in 2028 and to extend MD-11 operations until the end of 2032.
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