By Scott Hamilton

Dec. 19, 2025, © Leeham News: Boeing has asked the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to grant an exemption to the 2017 ICAO fuel efficiency rules that mean an end to production of the 777-200LRF freighter on Dec. 31, 2027.

Boeing seeks approval by May 1 next year.

“The requested relief will allow Boeing to meet anticipated customer demand and support the substantial public interest in the sustained transportation of air cargo prior to the 777-8F entering service. This petition therefore requests exemption of a total quantity of 35 777F airplanes until achievement of 777-8F first delivery and entry into service,” Boeing wrote in its filing today with the FAA.

FedEx is among the large users of the Boeing 777F. The airplane is scheduled to go out of production on Dec. 31, 2027, due to international regulations. Boeing has asked for an exemption to continue production. Credit: Fed Ex.

“Additional 777Fs are needed after January 1, 2028, to maintain an uninterrupted supply of large freighters to the market prior to the introduction of the 777-8F,” Boeing wrote. The company asked the FAA to extend the exemption outside the US.

Continued certification delays for the new generation 777X, including the 777-8F freighter, are the reason. Certification has been moved to a goal of 2026. Entry into service (EIS) of the passenger 777-9, the lead of the family, is now planned for 2027. EIS for the 777-8F has a goal of 2029, but some customers already believe this won’t happen until 2030. EIS of the passenger 777-8 follows the freighter by a year.

The 777-9 was supposed to enter service in 1Q2020, with the 777-8P two years later and the freighter two years after that. EIS for the freighter was moved up to be second once the FAA agreed to adopt the 2017 ICAO emission standards. The standards mean the end of production of the Boeing 767-300ERF and the 777-200LRF by the end of 2027.

767 exemption granted

Boeing obtained an exemption to continue production of the 767F, the mainstay of the FedEx and UPS medium-haul operations. However, when Kelly Ortberg was named Boeing’s CEO in August 2024, one of his first decisions was to announce the cancellation of the 767 concurrent with the ICAO deadline. The backlog for the 767 didn’t support continuing production anyway.

Now, with delays and the prospect of customer cancellations for some of the 63 777-8F orders, Boeing wants to continue production of the Classic freighter.

MD-11s grounded after crash

LNA is told that another factor also entered the picture: the Nov. 4 fatal crash of a UPS Boeing MD-11F. This is not in the filing with the FAA.

The No. 1 engine separated immediately after liftoff, causing a fire. As the engine departed the left wing, it went up and over the fuselage. Video shows compressor stalls from the centerline No. 2 engine, mounted atop the fuselage at the base of the vertical tail. Although the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) didn’t address the compressor stall in its interim 30-day report, it appears the No. 2 engine lost power long enough to doom the airplane.

The pylon for the No. 1 engine failed. Boeing recommended within a day that the MD-11F be grounded. The FAA followed with a mandatory order within hours. About 60 MDZ-11Fs operated by UPS, FedEx and Western Global Airlines now sit idle.

LNA is told that Boeing internally thinks there is only a 50/50 chance the airplane will return to service. Technical fixes to the pylon are possible, but the age of the fleet—approaching 40 years—raises economic questions about doing so. UPS and FedEx already announced plans before the crash to phase out their fleets in the next few years. On its earnings call for the quarter ended on Nov. 30, FedEx said it hopes the MD-11F will rejoin its fleet next year, perhaps in March or shortly thereafter.

Both airlines operated around two dozen MD-11s. The grounding eliminated a big chunk of capacity. The current 777F can fill this gap if an exemption is granted.

According to Cirium, 30 777Fs are scheduled for delivery next year and just 12 in 2027. Boeing could easily maintain its production schedule to provide for 18 more 777Fs in 2027, for a total of 30. Another 20 would be needed to make up the gap at UPS and FedEx. It’s unclear if the supply chain, which has planned for the termination of the program, can respond quickly to maintain the current production rate.

Faced with potential customer cancellations for the oft-delayed 777-8F, Boeing is now offering the Classic 777F as an alternative, LNA is told. This, too, requires exemption from the ICAO standards.

LNA has asked Boeing for comment.