Star Air secured a last-minute deal with UPS in 1993, allowing it to start operations out of Cologne/Bonn with Boeing 727s.

[2] Given the nature of the mother company, Maersk Air looked at the possibilities to operate the cargo segment.

Oriental Air Transport Services, a cargo handling company based at Kastrup, was bought in 1971.

Due to the regulations, it only acted as a ground handling agent for overseas airlines, the largest being Cathay Pacific.

[4] When the deregulation took effect in 1987, the Maersk Group immediately established Star Air as a subsidiary directly under the corporation.

[6] Lack of sufficient cargo volumes resulted in Star Air carrying out passenger flights as well, on wet lease basis.

[6] Sterling fell into financial distress in 1993 and months before the contract was to take effect its credits were cut off.

People who had been employed by Sterling were instead hired by Star Air, giving them access to pilots, engineers and administrators.

Falling prices for smaller cargo aircraft made this part of the operation unprofitable.

At the same time a closer integration with Maersk Air was carried out, in which the two companies received a common administration, operations center and navigational division.

[7] A total of eight 727s entered service with Star Air;[8] all being the -100 series with Rolls-Royce RB.183 Tay engines.

[7] After signing a new contract with a duration until 2015,[5] Star Air carried out a full fleet replacement in 2005 and 2006.

[10] Maersk Air Cargo operates scheduled cargo flights on behalf of UPS Airlines out of its base at Cologne Bonn Airport as well as further freight operations out of its base at Billund Airport to China on behalf of its parent Maersk and other customers on a charter basis.