No change to UPS freighter retirements with USPS deal 

UPS will move forward with its plans to retire the MD-11F after the U.S. Postal Service this week awarded the express company a contract to provide air cargo services.

The Postal Service (USPS) expanded its existing agreement with the express integrator to make UPS the primary air cargo provider once a transition period has been completed, according to an April 1 release from UPS. FedEx has been USPS’ primary service provider for more than twenty years.    

As UPS prepares to take on the new role on Sept. 30, it remains focused on retiring fifteen MD-11Fs from its fleet by the end of the year, the company told Cargo Facts. 

UPS retired six of the tri-engine freighters in 2023 and expects to retire nine more MD-11Fs by yearend. The express company sold two of those aircraft (48572 and 48474) to AerSale on Sept. 19, 2023, before ferrying two more units (48452 and 48805) to Roswell, N.M. (ROW) in January. 

UPS is replacing MD-11Fs with 767 freighters, purchasing its fifth ex-Japan Airlines 767-300ER in March 2023 for conversion. It took delivery of six new 767-300Fs from Boeing last year and has twenty-one more of the production freighters on order.  

The experience gained from moving air freight for Amazon may have benefited UPS during the USPS selection process, Cathy Roberson, air cargo and express consultant, told Cargo Facts’ sister publication Air Cargo Next. 

The express integrator recently added two used large-widebody freighters to its fleet with the acquisition of an ex-Qatar Airways 747-8F (37564) from Boeing in February and a second (63199) in March. 

Don’t miss our two upcoming events that are essential for stakeholders in Asia and Latin America: Cargo Facts Asia 2024, taking place April 15-17 in Singapore, and Cargo Facts LATAM 2024, taking place May 13-15 in Panama City. Register now.