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| Founded | 1977 (1977) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ceased operations | 1993 (1993) (rebranded asLufthansa Cargo) | ||||||
| Hubs | Frankfurt Airport | ||||||
| Parent company | Lufthansa | ||||||
| Headquarters | Kelsterbach,Hesse, Germany[1] | ||||||
German Cargo ServicesGmbH, operating asGerman Cargo, was anairline from (West) Germany that operated cargo flights on behalf ofLufthansa, of which it was a wholly owned subsidiary.
IATA regulations at the time meantLufthansa could only offer limited cargo services.[citation needed] Therefore, German Cargo was set up as a non-IATA airline in 1977, accommodating Lufthansa's cargo charter operations. Flight services started on 8 May of that year, initially using aBoeing 707, and the airline was based atFrankfurt Airport, Lufthansa'shub.[1]
German Cargo began operating scheduled cargo flights as well, mainly to Eastern Africa and the Middle East. The transport of live animals played an important role in the airline's business portfolio. The interiors of twoDouglas DC-8 aircraft were refurbished to accommodate horses. The airline also specialized in the transport of large, damageable goods.[2]
In 1993, Lufthansa reshaped its cargo businesses, splitting German Cargo into two independent, newly founded companies:Lufthansa Cargo for scheduled cargo flights (which inherited German Cargo's ICAO designation), andLufthansa Cargo Charter for charter and lease services. German Cargo was renamed on 1 May of that year and briefly operated asLufthansa Cargo Airlines.[1] The German Cargo callsign was later resurrected for Lufthansa's joint venture withDHL andAeroLogic.
In its early years, German Cargo operated a fleet of fourBoeing 707 aircraft. They were replaced byDouglas DC-8s, which formed the major part of the fleet during most years of the airline's existence. From 1990, the largerBoeing 747 as well as the smallerBoeing 737 were used, that were later transferred toLufthansa Cargo. In detail, German Cargo operated the following aircraft types (all of which were cargo-configured):[3]
| Aircraft | Introduced | Retired |
|---|---|---|
| Boeing 707 | 1977 | 1985 |
| Boeing 737-200[citation needed] | 1990 | 1993 |
| Boeing 747-200[citation needed] | 1990 | 1993 |
| Douglas DC-8 | 1984 | 1993 |
During the 1970s and 80s, the aircraft were painted in plain yellow. From 1990, a livery similar to the one used by Lufthansa was used, though with a yellow tail fin featuring the German Cargo logo.
Media related toGerman Cargo at Wikimedia Commons
