Operators-Freighter

page updated 28/06/2008

Martinair MD11 PH-MCY on finals to LAX in March 2006.

Aeroflot had been trying to acquire MD11's for some time and have secured 5 Varig examples for freighter conversion. According to a Boeing press release they have signed a deal for 8 MD11's to be converted, leased from Boeing Capital. 5 Varig examples are part of the deal (including those leased to TAM), with the other 3 coming from Finnair. The first 2 were due late 2007/early 2008. The first aircraft had its freighter conversion in Italy and had final work carried out in Helsinki. Problems with the Russian authorites and red tape prevented the aircraft entering service but this has been resolved and a 3 x wekly Frankfurt (Hahn)-Moscow-Almaty-Hong Kong service has started. They plan to have 3 MD11's in service by the end of 2008, 6 by 2009 and 8 by 2010.

VP-BDP cn 48502 (PP-VQF), currently at Helsinki.
VP-BDQ cn 48504 (PP-VQH)
VP-BDR cn 48503 (PP-VQG)
OH-LGA/48449, currently with Finnair, due 2009.
OH-LGC/48512, currently with Finnair, due 11/08.
OH-LGD/48513, currently with Finnair, due 07/09.
PT-MSH/48755, currently with TAM, due 2009.
PT-MSI/48758, currently with TAM, due 2009.

The Aeroflot cargo web site is not unsurprisingly in Russian but there are some nice MD11 pictures on there.

Aeroflot Cargo web site - MD11 pictures

VP-BDQ pictured on finals to Frankfurt Hahn 21/06/08 (Photo courtesy of Markus Braun)

Air Canada signed a deal to lease 2 MD11F's from World Airways in 2005 on an ACMI basis for operation of cargo services between Canada and China with with further expansion and other aircraft on the cards. 3 aircraft were in service until 2007. MD11 operations have reduced with the arrival of Air Canada's B777's and now only 1 MD11 operates for Air Canada though not a dedicated aircraft and only Toronto to Frankfurt now on AC 1998/1999. 2 of the aircraft wore joint World Airways and Operated for Air Canada titles. (aircraft operating recently for Air Canada have been N274/297/381WA)

Air Canada's cargo web site gives fleet details and schedules so i've added a link.

Air Canada Cargo

Alitalia Cargo are now operating all 5 of their former MD11 Combi's, recently converted to a full freighters. They have been classified as MD11SF -special freighters due to the position of the cargo door. It is at the rear (where it always was on the combi) and not in the normal place near the front .

EI-UPA cn 48426 (MD11SF), EI-UPO cn 48429 (MD11SF)
EI-UPE cn 48427 (MD11SF), EI-UPU cn 48430 (MD11SF)
EI-UPI cn 48428 (MD11SF).

Alitalia Cargo

China Eastern operates 6 MD11F's. 5 of the 6 were MD11P's but have been converted to freighters. All 6 now operate under the China Cargo brand. They can be seen worldwide. In Europe they operate to Paris and Luxemburg amongst others.

B-2170 cn 48461, B-2172 cn 48496, B-2174 cn 48498
B-2171 cn 48495, B-2173 cn 48497, B-2175 cn 48520

Eva Air operates 8 MD11 freighters. They did operate passenger services until 2004 with 3 MD11's (B-16101/2/3) and have now converted those aircraft into freighters. They operate mainly to Europe and North America but no longer to the UK, that flight is now a B747/400F. They have also operated 3 MD11's leased from World Airways on an ACMI basis. 4 Aircraft have gone to Shangahi Cargo Airlines (102/3/5/6).

B-16101 cn 48542, B-16109 cn 48779, B-16112 cn 48789.
B-16107 cn 48546, B-16110 cn 48786, B-16113 cn 48790.
B-16108 cn 48778, B-16111 cn 48787,

Eva Cargo web site

Federal Express are the worlds largest MD11 operator with currently 58 aircraft in service. They operate the first MD11 built, prototype N111MD now N601FE. Their major hub is Memphis, TN and their aircraft can be seen at a large portion of the worlds major airports. In the UK , they fly into Londons Stansted airport with up to 3 aircraft a day, and 4 times a week into Manchester. N601-623FE were built as pure freighters, all the others are converted from passenger aircraft. 2 aircraft, N581FE and N611FE were written off in 1999 and 1997 respectively.

N521FE cn 48478, N580FE cn 48471, N596FE cn 48554, N612FE cn 48605
N522FE cn 48476, N582FE cn 48420, N597FE cn 48596, N613FE cn 48749
N523FE cn 48479, N583FE cn 48421, N598FE cn 48597, N614FE cn 48528
N524FE cn 48480, N584FE cn 48436, N599FE cn 48598, N615FE cn 48767
N525FE cn 48565, N585FE cn 48481, N601FE cn 48401, N616FE cn 48747
N526FE cn 48600, N586FE cn 48487, N602FE cn 48402, N617FE cn 48748
N527FE cn 48601, N587FE cn 48489, N603FE cn 48459, N618FE cn 48754
N528FE cn 48623, N588FE cn 48490, N604FE cn 48460, N619FE cn 48770
N529FE cn 48624, N589FE cn 48491, N605FE cn 48514, N620FE cn 48791
N574FE cn 48499, N590FE cn 48505, N606FE cn 48602, N621FE cn 48792
N575FE cn 48500, N591FE cn 48527, N607FE cn 48547, N623FE cn 48794
N576FE cn 48501, N592FE cn 48550, N608FE cn 48548, N624FE cn 48443
N577FE cn 48469, N593FE cn 48551, N609FE cn 48549, N628FE cn 48447
N578FE cn 48458, N594FE cn 48552, N610FE cn 48603, N631FE cn 48454
N579FE cn 48470, N595FE cn 48553,

Gemini Air Cargo have 4 MD11F's. All are converted from passenger aircraft. They have bases in Miami and New York and their MD11's can be seen in Europe at East Midlands and Cologne. Thier web site gives cargo schedules. Click on the link below for more info.

N701GC cn 48434 , N703GC cn 48411
N702GC cn 48435 , N705GC cn 48412

Gemini's web site

Lufthansa Cargo have a fleet of 19 MD11F's. They had the last ever MD11 built at Long Beach before the production run was scrapped. They did want more aircraft but Boeing closed the line down although now they have sourced 5 ex passenger examples and converted them to freighters. Their MD11's can be seen worldwide, operating from bases in Frankfurt and Cologne and they also have 3 MD11's from World Airways operating for them from Europe to the USA..

D-ALCA cn 48781, D-ALCH cn 48801, D-ALCN cn 48806
D-ALCB cn 48782, D-ALCI cn 48800, D-ALCO cn 48413
D-ALCC cn 48783, D-ALCJ cn 48802, D-ALCP cn 48414
D-ALCD cn 48784, D-ALCK cn 48803, D-ALCQ cn 48431
D-ALCE cn 48785, D-ALCL cn 48804, D-ALCR cn 48581
D-ALCF cn 48798, D-ALCM cn 48805, D-ACLS cn 48630
D-ALCG cn 48799.

Cargo schedules are available from Lufthansa's web site. Click on the link below for more info.

Lufthansa Cargo's web site

Martinair operates 7 MD11's from its Amsterdam on freight services worldwide. They have 4 MD11 CF's and 3 MD11F's. They used to operate Summer IT charters to destinations such as Palma and Vancouver with thier MD11CF's but this ceased in 2006 and the aircraft will have the passenger support systems removed over time. They do have scheduled flights to Florida and other destinations but these are operated with B767's. They are the only airline to operate the CF (convertable freighter) variant.

PH-MCP (MD11CF) cn 48616 , PH-MCU (MD11F) cn 48757
PH-MCR (MD11CF) cn 48617 , PH-MCW (MD11F) cn 48788
PH-MCS (MD11CF) cn 48618 , PH-MCY (MD11F) cn 48445
PH-MCT (MD11CF) cn 48629

Saudi Arabian Airlines operates 5 MD11's. 4 are Freighters and 1 is a VIP transport. The VIP aircraft visit the UK occasionally whilst the freighters seldom do. They can best be seen in Brussels where they transit to/from New York.

HZ-ANA (MD11F) cn 48773, HZ-AND (MD11F) cn 48777
HZ-ANB (MD11F) cn 48775, HZ-HM7 (MD11P) cn 48532
HZ-ANC (MD11F) cn 48776


I've added a link for Saudi's web site as you can get the cargo schedules from there.

Saudi Arabian's web site

Shanghai Cargo Airlines were started as a joint venture between Shanghai Airlines, Eva Air and the Evergreen group and commenced cargo services in the Summer of 2006 late 2005 with an MD11F acquired from EVA Air. They have acquired 2 more MD11's from Eva in 2006 and 2007 respectively and recently taken delivery of their fourth MD11F, again from Eva. They operate out of Shangahi's Pu Dong International airport to destinations such as Mumbai, Macau, Frankfurt, Anchorage and Los Angeles.

B-2176 cn 48515 (ex B-16103)
B-2177 cn 48544 (ex N105EV)
B-2178 cn 48543 (ex B-16102)
B-2179 cn 48545 (ex B-16106)

Shanghai Cargo web site

B-2176 is seen at Macau in August 2005. (Photo courtesy of Nick Lack)

Transmile Air Services are a recent MD11 operator, commencing services in 2005 with 4 MD11's, all of which are ex passenger examples converted to freighters and all were from Swissair/Varig. They are based in Kuala Lumpur at the old international airport at Subang (SZB) and have recently obatined traffic rights for flying to the USA.

9M-TGP cn 48444, 9M-TGR cn 48485
9M-TGQ cn 48446, 9M-TGS cn 48486

Transmile's web site

UPS are currently operating 35 MD11F's and have another 3 on order. All are ex passenger examples from airlines such as JAL, Varig and Swiss. They operate from their hub at Louisville,KY and the only place to see their MD11's in Europe currently is Cologne. They have recently acquired the 4 former Thai MD11's which are registered N257-260UP, all of which are now in service. Latest conversions in progress are aircraft from Delta (292/293UP) and World AW (N294/295/295UP).

N250UP cn 48745, N260UP cn 48418, N279UP cn 48573, N289UP cn 48455
N251UP cn 48744, N270UP cn 48576, N280UP cn 48634, N290UP cn 48456
N252UP cn 48768, N271UP cn 48572, N281UP cn 48538, N291UP cn 49477
N253UP cn 48439, N272UP cn 48571, N282UP cn 48452, N292UP cn 48566
N254UP cn 48406, N273UP cn 48574, N283UP cn 48484, N293UP cn 48473
N255UP cn 48404, N274UP cn 48575, N284UP cn 48541, N294UP cn 48472
N256UP cn 48405, N275UP cn 48774, N285UP cn 48457, N295UP cn 48475
N257UP cn 48541, N276UP cn 48579, N286UP cn 48453, N296UP cn 48474
N258UP cn 48416, N277UP cn 48578, N287UP cn 48539,
N259UP cn 48417, N278UP cn 48577, N288UP cn 48540

Varig Logistica are the Cargo arm of Varig operating B727's, B757's, Dc10's and 2 MD11F's acquired from Korean Air in late 2004/early 2005. They operated the MD11's to Mimai and los Angeles amongst others but a check of their web site reveals they have scaled back cargo operations to mainly domestic services now with the exception of Buenos Aires and Santiago. The 2 MD11's are currently stored at Sao Paolo (LGE) and Miami (LGD). Hopefully operations with them will restart soon.

PR-LGD cn 48408 , PR-LGE cn 48410

Varig Cargo web site

PR-LGE pictured at Sao Paolo (photo courtesy of jetsite)