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   While UPS announced earlier this week that it would retire the McDonnell   
   Douglas MD-11 early, rival FedEx plans to continue operating the aircraft for   
   a few more years. Currently, all MD-11s are grounded following a fatal   
   accident involving a UPS aircraft last November.   
       
   The plane crash at Louisville International Airport killed the three crew   
   members and twelve people on the ground. Wear and tear in the engine mounts   
   caused one of the engines to detach from the wing during takeoff, after which   
   the aircraft became uncontrollable and crashed.   
       
   Since the accident, UPS, FedEx, and Western Global Airlines have grounded   
   their MD-11s at the behest of the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).   
       
   UPS announced it will no longer operate the MD-11 and replace them with Boeing   
   767s. FedEx, however, intends to continue operating the aircraft. Each of its   
   28 active aircraft is undergoing a thorough inspection, and the MD-11 is   
   scheduled to resume service on May 31.   
       
   The likelihood of Western Global continuing to operate the MD-11 seems slim,   
   making FedEx the most likely operator of the type worldwide.   
       
   KLM was the last operator of the passenger version of the MD-11 in 2014. Since   
   then, only MD-11Fs have been flying for freight.   
      
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