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FedEx Express is the world's largest cargo airline, operating approximately 400 mainline aircraft plus 310 regional turboprop feeders, headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee. It was founded by Frederick W. Smith in 1971, launched operations in 1973, and revolutionized overnight package delivery by creating the hub-and-spoke air cargo model. FedEx Express employs approximately 5,808 active pilots. Raj Subramaniam has been CEO of FedEx Corporation since June 1, 2022 — only the second CEO in the company's 53-year history.
For interview purposes, the simplest way to frame FedEx is this: it is the premier cargo flying job in the world. FedEx pilots fly widebody freighters (777F, 767F, MD-11F) across the globe on overnight schedules, with some of the best compensation, retirement benefits (including a defined benefit pension), and quality-of-life arrangements in the industry. The flying is fundamentally different from passenger airlines — no passengers, nighttime operations, and a schedule built around the Memphis super-hub sort.
FedEx Express is a Part 121 air carrier operating under FedEx Corporation (NYSE: FDX), which also includes FedEx Ground, FedEx Freight (being spun off as a separate public company by 2026), and FedEx Services. The pilot group is represented by ALPA and has been in protracted contract negotiations for over four years.
FedEx's origin story is one of the most famous in American business. Frederick W. "Fred" Smith wrote a paper at Yale University in 1965 outlining the concept of an overnight delivery service using a hub-and-spoke air network — the professor reportedly gave it a mediocre grade. Smith incorporated Federal Express Corporation in 1971, and on April 17, 1973, operations launched from Memphis with 14 Dassault Falcon 20 converted business jets, delivering 186 packages to 25 cities on the first night.
The idea was revolutionary: by flying all packages to a single hub (Memphis), sorting them, and flying them back out the same night, FedEx could guarantee overnight delivery anywhere in the U.S. This hub-and-spoke air cargo model had never been attempted before.
Fred Smith built FedEx from a startup that nearly went bankrupt (legend has it he flew to Las Vegas and gambled his last $5,000 to make payroll) into the world's largest cargo airline and a Fortune 50 company. He served as CEO for nearly 50 years before stepping aside in 2022.
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Sources listed at the end of each profile. Data compiled from public filings, airline newsrooms, AirlinePilotCentral, Glassdoor, FAA records, and industry publications.