Latest News

December 31st;

Sad news at the end of 2011 is Cargoitalia is grounded. Although the airline is successfull and had plenty of work, the collapse of the banking system in Italy has left the airline without any financing. The fleet is currently parked up, EI-UPE in Singapore and EI-UPI/EMS at Frankfurt. Hopefully a buyer can be found soon and get the fleet back in the air.

KLM's new winter service to Miami looks set to be just that - a Winter service. The flights will ceases at the end of March 2012 but are scheduled to resume at the end off October 2012 with MD11's operating the route.

October 31st 2011;

After retiring its own fleet of MD11's, China Cargo have now inherited 3 more after the acquisition of Shanghai Cargo Airlines. B-2179 has now been repainted into China Cargo colours whilst the others retain Shanghai's livery. Not sure how long China Cargo will keep thier 'new' MD11's as they have quiet a few B777 freighters in the fleet with more coming.

Major news from KLM is that it is expected their first MD11 will be withdrawn from service around March/April 2012 when the carrier recieves it first A330-300. It is expected PH-KCH will be the first aircraft to go.

KLM winter schedules have commenced. Main changes are loss of MD11 services to Quito, Tehran, Vancouver and Delhi but services resume to Dar Es Salem, Dubai and Accra, as well as taking over services to Havana and Punta Cana from Martinair for the Winter - see the operators/passenger page for full details.

The first of the new flights to Cuba, KL 721 was operated by PH-KCF on Monday 31st October.

An additional 3 x weekly MD11 service to Los Angeles is planned next Summer June-September.

September 22nd 2011;

Former Shanghai MD11F B-2176 has returned to Taiwan and been re-registered N304MS and painted all white. It has been parked up for a while, not yet sure of its fate.

After retiring its MD11F's recently, China Cargo have now inherited 3 more with the merger of China Eastern and Shangahi Airlines. China Cargo have also taken in Great Wall Airlines and its Boeing 747's as part of the merger.

The KLM/Air France group have placed a long awaited order for wide body aircraft. The order is made up of B787 and A350 aircraft. KLM's MD11's will be replaced by the 787 which are due to enter service in 2016 - so the MD11's have got a good few years left yet which is fantastic news. Some of the fleet will probably not make it through to that time. They are going through 'D' checks now and not all maybe done.

August 31st 2011;

Lufthansa MD11F D-ALCC has had special stickers applied celebrating 100 years of air cargo from Germany.

August 23rd 2011;

World Airways MD11 N269WA was chartered by Air Transat on 19/20th August to operate TSC522/523 Toronto-London Gatwick vv.

A new cargo airline in Finland commenced operatins on 4th August. Nordic Global Airlines (NGA) are a joint venture between Finnair and Neff Capital management. Ilmarinen mutual insurance also have a stake. Former Finnair MD11F OH-LGD is thier first aircraft, painted all white and operated the first service on 4th August from Helsinki to Hong Kong. OH-LGC continues to operate for Finnair at this time.

August 1st 2011;

All remaining China Cargo MD11's have now gone to Skylease cargo which ends the carries (and parent company China Eastern) 20 year association with the MD11 to a close.

KLM's new service to Calgary commenced on 29th June with PH-KCB. The flight is only an MD11 short term though, going over to A330 operation after August.

April 11th 2011;

Lufthansa Cargo have started a 3 x weekly MD11 service Frankfurt-Barcelona though you'll have to stay up till 2225 to see it on days 357. It departs back to Franfurt the following morning at 0205. Another new service commenced to Shenzhen, also 3 x weekly with 2 of teh services operating via Kolkata (also a new destination) and the other via Riyadh outward and Delhi on the return. With thanks to Airlineroute.net for the info, these are the Summer 2011 MD11 routes;

2 weekly Frankfurt – Atlanta vv
5 weekly Frankfurt – Chicago vv (4 from 18APR11; 3 from 02JUL11)
5 weekly Frankfurt – Chicago – Mexico City – Dallas – Frankfurt (4 from 18APR11)
1 weekly Frankfurt – Dallas – Manchester – Frankfurt
1 weekly Frankfurt – Dallas – Mexico City vv
5 weekly Frankfurt – New York JFK vv
1 weekly Frankfurt – New York JFK – Manchester – Frankfurt (till 27JUL11)
2 weekly Frankfurt – Toronto – Atlanta – Frankfurt
3 weekly Frankfurt – Dakar – Viracopos vv
2 weekly Frankfurt – Dakar – Viracopos – Buenos Aires vv
1 weekly Frankfurt – Dakar – Viracopos – Curitiba vv
1 weekly Frankfurt – Dakar – Viracopos – Curitiba – Quito – Bogota – Aguadilla – Amsterdam – Frankfurt
2 weekly Frankfurt – Dakar – Viracopos – Manaus – Quito – Bogota – Aguadilla – Amsterdam – Frankfurt
4 weekly Frankfurt – Nairobi – Johannesburg vv (1 weekly from 24APR11 till 30JUN11)
4 weekly Frankfurt – Bangalore – Chennai – Sharjah – Frankfurt
2 weekly Frankfurt – Cairo – Sharjah – Hong Kong – Almaty – Frankfurt
3 weekly Frankfurt – Delhi – Guangzhou – Krasnojarsk – Frankfurt
1 weekly Frankfurt – Doha – Sharjah – Hong Kong – Almaty – Frankfurt
1 weekly Frankfurt – Jeddah – Sharjah – Hong Kong – Almaty – Frankfurt
2 weekly Frankfurt – Kolkata – Shenzhen vv
4 weekly Frankfurt – Krasnoyarsk – Osaka – Tianjin – Krasnoyarsk – Frankfurt (1 weekly from 02MAY11)
9 weekly Frankfurt – Krasnodar – Shanghai Pu Dong vv
7 weekly Frankfurt – Moscow Sheremetyevo – Tokyo Narita – Krasnojarsk – Frankfurt
2 weekly Frankfurt – Mumbai – Hong Kong – Almaty – Frankfurt
3 weekly Frankfurt – Mumbai – Hyderabad – Sharjah – Frankfurt (2 from 01MAY11)
1 weekly Frankfurt – Riyadh – Sharjah – Bangkok – Hong Kong – Almaty – Frankfurt
1 weekly Frankfurt – Shenzhen – Riyadh – Delhi – Frankfurt
1 weekly Frankfurt – Sharjah – Bangkok – Hong Kong – Almaty – Frankfurt

Barring charter flights operated by World Airways,(and 2 the 2 Saudi vip aircraft of course) KLM are the sole operator of passenger configured MD11's. KLM annual Summer/Winter time table alterations continue apace. The airline resumed services to Miami in March with a 4 x weekly MD11 service after a 4 year absence. A new 3 x weekly MD11 service to Havana commences in October with 2 of the 3 flights going Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. These services were previously opertaed by Martinair who are ceasing passenger flights this Summer. MD11 services to Ecuador cease in October when the 5 x weekly service changes to 777 operation and will run non stop instead of going via Bonaire. Bonaire however retains MD11 services daily though, with a 5 x weekly Amsterdam-Aruba-Bonaire-Amsterdam and twice weekly Amsterdam-Curacao-Bonaire-Amsterdam schedule. Also returning to MD11 operations in October 2011 is the Amsterdam-Kilimanjaro-Dar Es Salem-Amsterdam service. Adjustmenst on other routes continue as well. See the operators-passenger page for more details.

Only 1 MD11F now left operating for China Cargo airlines now that B-2172 and B-2175 have joined Skylease Cargo. B-2174 will also join Skylease later this year bringing to end almost 20 years of MD11 operations with the carrier ( including China Eastern Ailrines) as they re-equip with Boeing 777 freighters.

Skylease Cargo have taken 2 more MD11F's from China Cargo and will in fact have taken all 6 by the end of 2011. N953AR is ex B-2175 and N955AR is ex B-2172. N954AR will be the last to join the fleet (ex B-2174).

As last reported in January, Fedex have taken the 4 ex Transmile MD11F's. I believe they are not yet in service and probably need looking over as they have been parked in Kuala Lumpur for some time. They are registered;
N642FE (9M-TGR), N643FE (9M-TGS), N644FE (9M-TGP) and N645FE (9M-TGQ). Hopefully they'll be back in service soon.

January 15th 2011;

It would seem the legalities at Transmile have now been sorted out as the 4 Transmile MD11S's that have been parked up at Kuala Lumpur are now to be sold to Fedex.

December 8th;

Saudi Arabian Airlines have this week started a 3 weekly Jeddah-Amsterdam-Riyadh-Jeddah service.
SV933/934 operates on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays arriving into AMS at 1035. HZ-ANC operated the first flight on 06/12.

November 21st;

Quite a lot to get through as i have been really busy at home and work. Anyway here goes;

Although in business in one form or another skylease Cargo are now operating their own MD11's. They are affliated with Centurion Air Cargo and have a similar livery too and i would imagine operate with/on behalf of Centurion on some routes too. After merging with and renaming Tradewinds, they acquired MD11F N986AR. 3 more have now arrived from China Cargo. B-2170 is now N950AR, B-2171 is now N951AR and B-2173 in N952AR. China Cargo continue to operate 3 MD11F's.

Talking of Centurion Air Cargo, N701GC has now been reregistered N988AR.

N952AR of Skylease Cargo is pictured recentyl on approach to Santiago, Chile. (Photo courtesy of Mauricio Carvajal A)

Lots of rumours about future KLM aircraft orders at the moment. Firstly, Martinair are ceasing all passenger flights over the Winter and KLM are taking these over. It is expected KLM are to order Airbus A330/300's for this role and some of this order will also be to replace some of the earlier MD11's. Nothing in black and white yet but watch this space.

Winter timetables have started (see operators-passenger pages for full details). No major changes bar the usual Summer/Winter alterations ie return of San Francisco to MD11, Delhi back to B777 etc.

On a more postive note, KLM are to return to Miami from March 2011 with an MD11 4 x weekly. There is also a new flight to Calgary for next Summer, also expected to be an MD11 but KLM's web site shows an A330 so i'll keep checking that one.

Fedex are rumoured to be getting another MD11. N625FE will be ex OH-LGG cn 48753 which was though to be going back to Finnair after freighter conversion. Finnair may well now get N513AY (ex OH-LGD) instead.

All of the Lufthansa MD11F's previously stored at Victorville are now back in traffic.

Although in business in one form or another skylease Cargo are now operating their own MD11's. They are affliated with Centurion Air Cargo and have a similar livery too and i would imagine operate with/on behalf of Centurion on some routes too. After merging with and renaming Tradewinds, they acquired MD11F N986AR. 3 more have now arrived from China Cargo. B-2170 is now N950AR, B-2171 is now N951AR and B-2173 in N952AR. China Cargo continue to operate 3 MD11F's.

Talking of Centurion Air Cargo, N701GC has now been reregistered N988AR.

September 27th 2010;

World Airways are to acquire former Finnair MD11P OH-LGB shortly. It willl be re-registered N269WA.

Finnair are to get a second MD11F shortly. OH-LGG has had its freighter conversion and is currently in Singapore and is expected to be delivered shortly.

July 29th 2010;

Lufthansa MD11F D-ALCQ has been destoyed after crash landing in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Tuesday 27th July. It was operating flight LH 8460 from Frankfurt to Hong Kong via Riyadh and Sharjah and had 80 tonnes of cargo on board. Both crew members escaped safely. The aircraft split in two on landing. Some reports indicate the aircraft was on fire on its approach to Riyadh altough nothing has been confirmed yet.
D-ALCQ is cn 48431 and was delivered new to Alitalia in April 1993. It was delivered to Lufthansa Cargo after freighter conversion in September 2004.

Some video footage of the crash site courtesy of dailymotion.com

July 8th 2010;

With the Dutch success on reaching the finals of the FIFA World cup in South Africa, KLM are operating some additional flights from Amsterdam to Jo'burg. 1 with a B747, 1 a B777 and the lucky ones get to fly on MD11 PH-KCC. Flights leave AMS on the 10th, back from Jo'burg on the 12th. Hope they come back happy with the trophy too!

June 7th 2010;

Centurion Air Cargo have got a fourth MD11F. N950AR is cn 48461 and formerly B-2170 of China Cargo.

CargoItalia's third MD11F was delivered to Milan from Singapore last week. EI-EMS is the former Finnair OH-LGF cn 48766. It wears slightly different livery with large billboard style logo and has no (Alitalia) green stripe.

The 4 Martinair convertible freighters (MD11CF's) have had all thier equipment relating to passenger conversions removed, resulting in a payload increase of over 2000KG. PH-MCP/R/S/T are now more akin to the converted former Alitalia combi's and classed as MD11SF (special freighter).

May 12th 2010;

Some good news on the MD11 front. Cargo volume have increasedby 25% from a low point on early 2009 and as a result, 3 MD11's are to be bought out of storage;

Eva's B-16113 was ferried on May 8th Victorville-Taipei via LAX.

2 of the 4 Lufthansa MD11's also at Victorville are to return to service this year. D-ALCR/S are expected to be back in service in August and September respectively and are biegn readied for thier return to service now.

Finnair operated thier first cargo service today. OH-LGC departed Helsinki for Seoul on flight AY8853. Below are thier cargo schedules;

Flt number Start Day Origin Dep Dest Arr A/C
HEL-ICN-HEL
AY8853 12May 3 HEL 13:40 ICN 04:30+1 M1F
AY8854 13May 4 ICN 07:00 HEL 10:35 M1F
AY8853 16May 7 HEL 14:15 ICN 05:05+1 M1F
AY8854 17May 1 ICN 07:35 HEL 11:10 M1F

HEL-HKG-HEL
AY8861 13May 4 HEL 12:40 HKG 03:25+1 M1F
AY8862 14May 5 HKG 05:40 HEL 11:20 M1F
AY8861 15May 6 HEL 13:20 HKG 04:05+1 M1F
AY8862 16May 7 HKG 06:20 HEL 12:00 M1F

Skyliners March/April Issue No.58 has a nice feature on 20 years of the MD11 with plenty of colour pictures and is shops now.

April 29th 2010;

Finnair have confirmed that MD11 operations will continue after OH-LGC returned 'home' to Finland after freighter conversion on April 24th. Cargo flights will start on May 12th with twice weekly services from Helsinki to Seoul on Wednesdays and Sundays and Hong Kong on Thursdays and Saturdays with the aircraft returning to Helsinki the following day. It is thought that OH-LGD will also return to Finnair as passenger aircraft for leisure/charter flights. Good news indeed! Click the link below for Finnair's press release.

Finnair press release

Lovely picture of OH-LGG at Helsinki after a test flight before being ferried to Singapore recently. (photo courtesy of Kalle Ahtola)

April 12th 2010;

KLM summer 2010 schedules updated on the operators page. MD11's return to daily to Vancouver and Delhi for the Summer, along with a 3 weekly service to Toronto and a Friday service to Saint Maarten.

The fate of Saudi MD11F HZ-ANB remains unknown after suffering a hard landing in Khartoum last year. Some reports indicate it to be written off.

Another Saudi MD11F, believed to be HZ-ANC recently overshot the runway at Malta and skidded on the grass and had to be pulled out but suffered no damage and is back in service.

The 2 Saudi VIP MD11's HZ-HM7 (48532) and HZ-AFAS (48533) are reportedly stored.

Rumours persist that Finnair are to retain 2 MD11's for future use, 1 freighter and 1 passenger. OH-LGB/D remain stored at Helsinki and as these are owned by the airline then they would be the obvious choice.

OH-LGF has been re-registered N783BC, owned by Boeing Capital and is now in Singapore along with sister ship OH-LGG which is now N785BC.

CargoItalia are to get a third MD11F this Summer. It is expected to be a former Finnair aircraft after its had its freighter conversion and one of the 3 currently in Singapore (OH-LGC/F/G. Toronto has been recently dropped from the CRG network but New York and Chicago added along with current destinations of Hong Kong, Almaty, Dubai and Sharjah.

March 4th 2010;

Finnair MD11 OH-LGG operated charter flight AY7053/7054 to Vancouver and back to bring the Finnish athlete's home in style from the Winter olympics.

February 23rd;

Finnairs last MD11 passenger service arrived back at Helsinki yesterday afternoon bringing to an end 20 years of MD11 operations and over 40 years of flying with (Mcdonnel) Douglas jets from the DC8 through to the MD11. OH-LGG operated AY022 from Delhi with 277 people on board. Future long haul flights will now be Airbus A330/340 operated. Whilst passenger service have ceased, Finnair are said to be exploring operating thier own freighter aircraft as cargo demands are high - wether this means the MD11 still has a future with Finnair only time will tell.

February 8th;

Centurion MD11F N985AR made a tech stop at London Gatwick over the weekend en route to Sofia. It should of stopped over at Manston/Kent International airport but fog there prevented it from landing.

N701GC which was damaged at Montevideo after a heavy landing last year is back in service and should be re-registed to N988AR sometime this year.

Avient's new MD11 F Z-BVT is now in service. Con No 48410 it came from Varig Log ex PR-LGE. Hope Avient have better luck with this one. It is pictured below recently at Leige. (photo courtesy and copyright of Rainer Bexten)

Finnairs final MD11 service is scheduled for February 22nd 2010 bringing to an end nearly 20 years of MD11 service. AY 022 1015 Delhi to Helsinki is due to arrive in Finland at 1415. I took this flight last weekend and some pictures are below. OH-LGG is the sole remaining MD11 in the fleet after OH-LGF has flown to Singapore for freighter conversion. OH-LGB operated an aid flight for Haiti at the end of January and is currently still at Helsinki.