Maersk Air Cargo is a Danish cargo airline owned by the A.P. Moller–Maersk logistics group. Formerly known as Star Air, it operates Boeing 767 and Boeing 777 freighters for Maersk's integrated air-freight network and contract customers.[1]
Star Air origins
The airline was established in 1987 after Maersk acquired Alkair's Fokker 27 operation. It later adopted the Star Air name and in 1993 began flying for UPS, initially with Boeing 727 freighters.[1]
UPS contract work became the core operation. Star Air replaced its 727s with Boeing 767 freighters in the mid-2000s and built bases around the European parcel network, particularly Cologne Bonn Airport.
Maersk Air Cargo
Maersk renamed the airline Maersk Air Cargo in 2022 as part of a strategy to offer ocean, road, rail, warehousing and air freight through one logistics group. The airline gives Maersk its own operating certificate and crews while the wider group also purchases capacity from partner carriers.[2]
This integration allows a shipment to move under a single logistics plan even when several transport modes are involved. Maersk can use dedicated aircraft for regular lanes and supplement them with commercial capacity elsewhere.
Fleet
Boeing 767-200 and 767-300 freighters remain central to the European and transatlantic operation. They are suited to express parcels and medium-capacity long-haul routes.
The first Boeing 777Fs joined in 2024, giving the airline greater payload and range for intercontinental services. The JetPhotos image shows OY-MAD, one of the 777 freighters. The type supports direct links between major Maersk logistics gateways and reduces reliance on bought-in wide-body capacity.[1]
Operations
Maersk Air Cargo continues to fly aircraft for UPS while also supporting Maersk-branded air-freight services. Billund, Cologne Bonn and East Midlands are important operating points, reflecting both Maersk's own network and established European express-freight demand.
The airline's unusual position connects two models: a long-running contract cargo operator and the in-house airline of one of the world's largest container-shipping and logistics groups.