INTER CARGO SERVICE
 

✈️ General Overview

Inter Cargo Service (ICS) was a French airline specialized in cargo and mail transport. Created in 1987 as a subsidiary of Air Inter, ICS responded to the growing demand for urgent mail and freight transport, especially after TAT Express failed to lease Airbus A300s for nighttime cargo flights. The airline primarily operated night flights in complement to Air Inter’s passenger services, with a fleet composed of Vickers Vanguard and Boeing 737 aircraft. ICS’s activities were later integrated into the Société d’exploitation aéropostale (SEA), which later became Europe Airpost and ASL Airlines France.

Owner: Air Inter (55%) / Masurel Group (33%) / Paribas Bank (12%)
Type: Air freight and mail transport
Main Hub: Paris‑Orly
Period: 1987‑1990
 

📜 Origins and Creation (1986‑1987)

Inter Cargo Service was established in late August 1986 to develop air cargo and mail transport in France. The airline was created by Air Inter to complement its transport services, with Gérard Perrin appointed as the first president. The decision to create ICS followed TAT Express’s unsuccessful attempt to operate nighttime cargo flights with Airbus A300s, leaving a gap in the urgent freight market. The company officially started operations in 1987 with an initial fleet of Vickers Vanguard and Boeing 737 aircraft, operating regular cargo and mail flights from its main hub at Paris‑Orly.
 

🛫 Early Operations (1987‑1988)

The first aircraft operated by ICS were Vickers Vanguard VC‑9s registered F‑GEJE and F‑GEJF.

On 17 February 1987, ICS conducted its first official cargo flight (flight ICS.1001) between Paris‑Orly and Montpellier for TAT Express.

In 1987, the young company transported approximately 68,000 tons of goods.

By late 1988, ICS introduced Boeing 737s to operate night flights between Paris‑Charles‑de‑Gaulle and Toulouse (two flights per night) and Marseille (one flight per night).
 

🛩️ Transition and Renaming (1990‑1991)

As operations consolidated, Intercargo Service was renamed:

• In 1990, the company became Inter Ciel Service (ICS).
• On 22 March 1991, Air Inter, La Poste, Air France, and TAT merged efforts to create Société d’exploitation aéropostale (SEA), the direct successor of Intercargo Service. This new structure took over cargo and postal operations in France and Europe.

Under the Société d’exploitation aéropostale, aircraft — often Boeing 737 Quick Change (QC) — had a dual role:

• Transport passengers during the day under Air France, Air Inter, or Air Charter flight numbers;
• Be converted into cargo configuration at night for operators such as La Poste, Chronopost, or sometimes newspapers like Le Figaro.
   

🛑After 1991 – Towards Europe Airpost and ASL Airlines France

Later developments led to further changes:

📌 In 1995, the ownership was restructured: Air France and La Poste became equal shareholders, with La Poste represented by Sofipost (40 %) and Chronopost (10 %).

📌 In 2000, the company was renamed Europe Airpost, operating Airbus A300 cargo aircraft and ATR 72s.

📌 In 2008, the ASL Aviation Ireland group acquired Europe Airpost, continuing postal and cargo services.

📌 Finally, in 2015, Europe Airpost was renamed ASL Airlines France under the ASL Aviation group.
 

Vickers 953C Vanguard



Lockheed L-100-30 Hercules



Boeing 737-2Q2C