Federal Express has revealed that it could be required to take near-term delivery of 26 more McDonnell Douglas DC-10s and Boeing MD-11s than planned, under the terms of its aircraft-purchase agreements with American and United Airlines. These aircraft will be in addition to planned purchases worth $1.33 billion between now and 2002, company figures reveal.
FedEx says that it is committed to take delivery of 13 Airbus A300-600 freighters, four A310s, one DC-10 and seven MD-11s by the end of 2002, but adds that it may be required to purchase seven more MD-11s for delivery by 2000 under a "put option" in its agreement with American.
Additionally, the carrier is committed to receive 53 DC-10-10s from American and United between 1997 and 2001, but may have to accept delivery of 29 more aircraft by December 2003 under similar put options.
The carrier has arranged with Boeing to store up to 50 DC-10s pending conversion to freighters and later upgrade to MD-10 two-crew flightdeck configuration.
Source: Flight International
