Air Inter

Air Inter (French pronunciation: [ɛʁ‿ɛ̃tɛʁ]) - legally registered corporate name Lignes Aériennes Intérieures - was a semi-public domestic airline in France that operated from 1958 until it merged with Air France in 1997. It was last headquartered in Paray-Vieille-Poste, Essonne. Earlier, it was headquartered in the 1st arrondissement of Paris. Air Inter was founded as a semi-public entity to provide efficient domestic air transport at the lowest fare level. Its financial backers included French public and private sector transport businesses in road, rail and air transport, as well as banks. Air France and SNCF, the state railway company, were Air Inter's two largest public sector shareholders, each holding 25% of the airline. Union de Transports Aériens (UTA) airline was the largest private investor. UTA initially held a 15% minority stake in Air Inter, subsequently increased to 36%, becoming the largest single shareholder. Air Inter was incorporated on 12 November 1954 but was a "paper airline" for the next four years. It operated the first commercial flight between Paris and Strasbourg on 16 March 1958 but all scheduled operations were halted in the following Autumn. After a period of reorganization the airline started regular commercial services on 6 June 1960. The company established its operational and engineering base at Paris-Orly Airport, where its flights were concentrated at Orly Ouest (Orly Airport's West Terminal). On 12 January 1990, Air Inter, together with UTA and Air France, became part of an enlarged Air France Group, which in turn became a subsidiary of Groupe Air France. Following an operational merger with Air France and UTA, on 1 January 1996 Air Inter changed its trading name to Air Inter Europe. On 1 April 1997, the airline was fully absorbed into Air France and also ceased to exist as a legal entity within Groupe Air France.