Overview
- The airport, which was renamed Tuesday, officially became Frederick W. Smith International Airport with the change taking effect immediately and phased physical and technical updates planned.
- FedEx unveiled a Boeing 777 freighter, N884FD nicknamed “Rosie,” painted in a retro Federal Express scheme and operating Flight 1944 to perform the ceremonial landing.
- The throwback livery recreates the purple, orange and white look of the Dassault Falcon 20s that launched Federal Express operations from Memphis in April 1973 and ties the ceremony to the company’s origin story.
- Airport officials said visible signage and facility changes will roll out in stages and the facility’s three‑letter IATA code, MEM, will remain unchanged.
- The dedication included a mural and a Day of Service and underscores Memphis’s role as FedEx’s World Hub, which sorts roughly 2.4 million packages daily as the company handles about 18 million deliveries worldwide.