Freddie Laker

Sir Frederick Alfred Laker (6 August 1922 – 9 February 2006), was a British airline entrepreneur, best known for founding Laker Airways in 1966, which went spectacularly bust in 1982. Laker was one of the first airline owners to adopt the "no-frills" airline business model that has since proven to be very successful world-wide with companies such as easyJet, Jetblue, Ryanair, Southwest Airlines and Virgin Blue. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... August 6 is the 218th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (219th in leap years), with 147 days remaining. ... Year 1922 (MCMXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar). ... February 9 is the 40th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... An Airbus A380 of Emirates Airline An airline provides air transport services for passengers or freight. ... For the computer game previously called Entrepreneur, see The Corporate Machine. ... Laker Airways was a wholly privately owned, Independent British airline founded by the late Sir Freddie Laker in 1966. ... No-frills or no frills is the term used to describe any service or product for which the non-essential features (called frills) have been removed. ... The term business model describes a broad range of informal and formal models that are used by enterprises to represent various aspects of business, such as operational processes, organizational structures, and financial forecasts. ... easyJet (LSE: EZJ) is a low cost airline officially known as easyJet Airline Company Limited, based at London Luton Airport. ... jetBlue Airways (NASDAQ: JBLU) is an American low-cost airline. ... Ryanair (ISEQ: RYA, LSE: RYA, NASDAQ: RYAAY) is an Irish airline headquartered in Dublin. ... Southwest Airlines, Inc. ... Virgin Blue is an Australian low-cost airline and Australias second-biggest airline. ...

Biography

Laker, originally from Canterbury, Kent and an old boy of the Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys, started working in aviation with Short Brothers in Rochester. He was a member of the Air Transport Auxiliary during and immediately after World War II (1941-46). Canterbury is a cathedral city in east Kent in South East England and is the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Primate of All England, head of the Church of England and of the worldwide Anglican Communion. ... coat of Arms of Kent For other uses, see Kent (disambiguation). ... “Alumni” redirects here. ... The Langton Lion An aerial view of The Langton Simon Langton Grammar School for Boys [1] is a selective boys school of nearly 1000 pupils and staff, located in the outskirts of Canterbury, Kent. ... Short Brothers plc is a British aerospace company now based in Belfast. ... Rochester is a small town in Kent, at the lowest bridging point of the River Medway about 30 miles (50 km) from London. ... The Air Transport Auxiliary was a British World War II organisation established to transfer new, repaired and damaged warplanes between factories, delivery points from the United States, maintenance depots and active service airfields. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000...

After World War II he went into business as a war-surplus aircraft dealer. The Soviet blockade of West Berlin in 1948, during which all available aircraft were needed to fly essential supplies into West Berlin, allowed his business to flourish. Occupation zones after 1945. ... Boroughs of West Berlin West Berlin was the name given to the western part of Berlin between 1949 and 1990. ...

By 1954 Channel Air Bridge, his second airline venture, was flying cars and their owners in Bristol Freighters from Southend to Calais. Following the acquisition of Channel Air Bridge by Air Holdings in 1960, he became managing director of British United Airways. The Bristol Type 170 Freighter was a twin-engined propeller cargo aircraft designed and built by Bristol Aeroplane Company as an air ferry to carry cars and their passengers over relatively short distances. ... Southend-on-Sea is a resort town in Essex, England. ... Calais (Kales in Dutch) is a town in northern France, located at 50°57N 1°52E. It is in the département of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sous-préfecture. ... British United Airways (BUA) was the largest independent UK based airline during the 1960s. ...

Having departed British United in 1965, he formed his own airline - Laker Airways - in 1966, initially operating charter flights with a pair of turboprop planes acquired second-hand from BOAC. The livery was a mixture of black and red with a bold LAKER logo on the tailplane. He was proposing to offer a brand-new, revolutionary concept of economic air travel requiring passengers to purchase their tickets on the day of travel as well as to buy their own food. These flights were to be operated by Laker Airways and marketed under the "Skytrain" trademark. A charter airline is one that operates charter flights, that is flights that take place outside normal schedules, by a hiring arrangement with a particular customer. ... A schematic diagram showing the operation of a turboprop engine. ... After technical problems with the Comet, BOAC resumed jet service with imported Boeing 707s. ...

Following the successful launch of "Skytrain" in 1977, he was knighted the following year in recognition of his services to the airline industry.

Sir Freddie Laker divided his final years living both in his waterfront home in Lucaya, Grand Bahama Island where he kept his yacht, The Lady Jacqueline, and in Florida. Sir Freddie died on February 9, 2006, at the age of 83 in a suburban Miami hospital in Hollywood, Florida, following complications from cardiac surgery to implant a pacemaker. He was survived by his fourth wife, Jacqueline Harvey, a former airline hostess he married in 1985 and also by his two children: a daughter, Elaine, by his first wife Joan (with whom he also had a son who died in 1968 at age 17 after crashing a sports car Freddie had given him for his birthday [the marriage collapsed that same year]) and a son, Freddie Allen Laker (also a successful entrepreneur, born to his third wife, Patricia Gates [with whom he also had another son who died in his infancy]). Official language(s) English Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Largest metro area Miami Area  Ranked 22nd  - Total 65,795[1] sq mi (170,304[1] km²)  - Width 361 miles (582 km)  - Length 447 miles (721 km)  - % water 17. ... February 9 is the 40th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... This article is about the city in Florida. ... Hollywood is a city in Broward County, Florida, United States. ...

Business ventures

Throughout his working life, Laker was involved in a number of aviation-related business ventures. Even when he was working for others, his decisions had far-reaching strategic consequences for the business that employed him.

Early business ventures

Laker's early post-War business ventures (prior to 1960) included:

• Air Charter.

This was his first airline venture, which he founded early in 1947. ^[1] Air Charter was based at London's old Croydon Airport. ^[2] The airline participated in the 1948-'49 Berlin Air Lift. Its fleet consisted of war-surplus Handley Page Halifax bombers that had been converted into freighters as well as a small number of ex-RAF Avro York transporters. ^[3] (Following the end of the Berlin Air Lift in 1949, Laker had most of Air Charter's Halifax's scrapped using the facilities of his new Southend-based sister company Aviation Traders. Laker sold the Air Charter Yorks that were still airworthy to other Independent airlines, two of which were acquired by Dan-Air in 1956. ^[4]) This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... The control tower of Croydon Airport in 1939, with the BOAC de Havilland DH 91 Albatross Fortuna alongside Croydon Airport was an airport in South London which straddled the boundary of what are now the London Borough of Croydon and the London Borough of Sutton. ... The Soviet Union blocked Western rail and road access to West Berlin from June 24, 1948 - May 11, 1949. ... The Handley Page Halifax was one of the British front-line, four-engine heavy bombers of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. ... The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the air force branch of the British Armed Forces. ... The Avro York was a passenger and freight transport of the 1940s, in both military and civilian applications. ... Southend-on-Sea is a resort town in Essex, England. ... Dan-Air Services Limited is a defunct airline based in the United Kingdom. ...

On April 14, 1955 Air Charter inaugurated its first vehicle ferry service between Southend and Calais using a Bristol 170 Mark 32 "Super Freighter". ^[2] April 14 is the 104th day of the year (105th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 261 days remaining. ... 1955 (MCMLV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Calais (Kales in Dutch) is a town in northern France, located at 50°57N 1°52E. It is in the département of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sous-préfecture. ... The Bristol Freighter (Bristol Type 170) was an aircraft conceived by Wing Commander Taffy Powel who opened a fascinating and innovative chapter in British aviation. ...

In January 1959 Air Charter became a subsidiary of the Airwork group. ^[2] (Airwork merged with Hunting Clan and several other contemporary, Independent British operators to form British United Airways the following year.)

Following a rationalisation of Air Charter's flight crew and ground staff in February 1959, Laker decided to transfer all vehicle ferry services along with the Bristol 170 fleet to the newly formed Channel Air Bridge. ^[2]

Air Charter was eventually absorbed into the newly formed British United Airways in June 1960. ^[1])

• Aviation Traders.

Following the end of the Berlin Air Lift in 1949, Laker purchased Aviation Traders at Southend-on-Sea, Essex, England. Eventually, numerous war-surplus bombers and transporters were converted into freighters at this aircraft scrap yard. This included the conversion of several DC-4/C-54 "Skymaster" airframes into "Carvairs" for various operators around the world. Aviation Traders was established by Freddie Laker at Rochford Aerodrome near Southend_on_Sea, Essex, England in 1949 and was one of many seeking to develop a successor to the Douglas DC-3 aircraft that had been so prominent during and after the Second World War. ... Essex is a county in the East of England. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem God Save the King (Queen) England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Queen Queen Elizabeth II  -  Prime Minister Tony Blair MP Unification  -  by Athelstan 967  Area... Categories: Stub | Waste ... The designation DC-4 was used by Douglas Aircraft Company when developing the DC-4E as a large, four-engined type to complement its forthcoming DC-3 design. ... The C-54 Skymaster was a four engined transport aircraft used by the United States Army Air Force in World War II. Like its mate the C-47 Skytrain, the C-54 Skymaster was derived from the prototype of a civilian airliner (the DC-4). ... Aer Lingus Carvair loading a car at Bristol Airport, Bristol, England, in 1965 The Aviation Traders ATL-98 Carvair was a Douglas DC-4 converted to carry 22 passengers and 5 front-loaded cars. ...

In addition, Aviation Traders re-engined certain early post-War piston-engined aircraft types and it also produced an all-new aircraft design, the ATL-90 "Accountant". For the use of the term in optics, see piston (optics). ... The Aviation Traders ATL-90 Accountant was a 1950s British twin-engined 28-passenger turboprop airliner built by Aviation Traders at Southend Airport, England. ...

Aer Lingus Carvair loading a car at Bristol Airport, Bristol, England, in 1965

• Channel Air Bridge.

His second airline venture began flying cars and their owners across the English Channel in 1954, initially using a fleet of Bristol Freighter twin-engined, piston-powered planes. These were later supplemented and eventually superseded by the larger-capacity, four-engined "Carvairs". The "Carvair" design was based on the Douglas DC-4 piston-engined airliner. It involved raising the aircraft's cockpit "above" the fuselage in a 747-style bulge so as to create more space for vehicles and/or passengers on the main deck. It also involved replacing the DC-4's original tail fin with a newly designed, larger DC-7-style fin as well as equipping the aircraft with a Bristol Freighter-type nose-loading cargo door, more powerful brakes and a stronger undercarriage. Carvair loading a car at Bristol Airport, Bristol, England, in 1965. ... Carvair loading a car at Bristol Airport, Bristol, England, in 1965. ... Satellite view of the English Channel The English Channel (French: (IPA: ), the sleeve; Dutch: Het Kanaal) is the part of the Atlantic Ocean that separates the island of Great Britain from northern France and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. ... The Bristol Type 170 Freighter was a twin-engined propeller cargo aircraft designed and built by Bristol Aeroplane Company as an air ferry to carry cars and their passengers over relatively short distances. ... The designation DC-4 was used by Douglas Aircraft Company when developing the DC-4E as a large, four-engined type to complement its forthcoming DC-3 design. ... Events Abu Muslim unites the Abbasid Empire against the Umayyads. ... The Douglas DC-7 is an aircraft built by the Douglas Aircraft Company from 1953 to 1958. ...

In 1960 Channel Air Bridge was acquired by the Air Holdings group, the holding company of British United Airways. (British United was to become Britain's largest independent airline of the 1960s.) However, Channel Air Bridge continued operating under its own identity for more than two years. ^[2]

On January 1, 1963 Channel Air Bridge merged with Silver City Airways, which had pioneered commercial cross-Channel vehicle ferry flights in 1948. ^[5] The merged entity began trading as British United Air Ferries. ^[5] January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1963 calendar). ... Silver City Airways was a British airline, launched by Wing Commander Taffy Powel in 1948. ... British United Air Ferries (BUAF) was a British airline operating in the 1960s that later became British Air Ferries and is now part of British World Airways. ...

In the meantime, Laker had been appointed British United's managing director.

During his tenure (1960-1965) British United became the first wholly privately owned, UK independent airline to re-equip its entire fleet with brand-new, state-of-the-art jet aircraft. Look up jet in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

In 1961 British United became the launch customer for the BAC 1-11 short haul jetliner when it placed an order for ten series 200 aircraft. Laker had personally negotiated this deal with the manufacturer. This was the first time that an Independent airline had placed an order for brand-new jets. The first of the new 1-11s entered service on April 9, 1965, inaugurating a new scheduled route from London Gatwick to Genoa. Laker also placed an order for Vickers VC-10 series 1103 long haul jets on behalf of British United. The first two aircraft were delivered towards the end of 1964. (These aircraft differed from other operators' VC-10s by having a large cargo door on the right-hand side of the forward fuselage where the aircraft's first class section was located. They also had extended wingtips that were slightly bent downwards to reduce the aircraft's cruise drag as well as to help it overcome the instability encountered when entering a stall. Unlike all other shorter fuselage, "standard" VC-10s, which had thrust reversers in their outer two engines only, this particular model had thrust reversers in all four of its Rolls-Royce Conway engines, thereby giving it additional braking power on shorter runways. These design changes were initiated by Laker himself and implemented at Aviation Traders.[1]) The BAC 1-11, or One-Eleven, was a short-range jet airliner designed by Hunting Aircraft and produced by the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) after Hunting was merged with several other British aviation firms in 1960. ... A jetliner is an airliner powered by jet engines (usually of the turbofan type). ... The BAC 1-11, or One-Eleven, was a short-range jet airliner designed by Hunting Aircraft and produced by the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) after Hunting was merged with several other British aviation firms in 1960. ... April 9 is the 99th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (100th in leap years). ... 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ... Gatwick Airport (IATA Airport Code: LGW, ICAO Airport Code: EGKK) is Londons second airport and the second largest airport in the UK after Heathrow. ... Genoa (Genova [] in Italian - Zena [] in Genoese) is a city and a seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria. ... The VC-10 airliner was designed and built by Vickers (part of the British Aircraft Corporation) in the 1960s. ... In aerodynamics, a stall is a condition in which an excessive angle of attack causes loss of lift due to disruption of airflow. ... The Rolls-Royce Conway was the first by-pass engine to go into service in the world. ...

By the end of that decade, British United boasted an all-jet fleet, which gave it a decisive competitive edge over its contemporary Independent rivals.

Laker was furthermore instrumental in securing the transfer of the traffic rights for BOAC's chronically loss-making South American routes to Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Uruguay to British United. British United commenced service on these routes in November 1964 using its brand-new VC-10s and managed to make them profitable within five years. South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ...

In 1965 Laker decided to leave British United to set up his own airline following a major disagreement with British United's chairman Miles Wyatt.

Subsequent business ventures

Laker was involved in the following business ventures during the later post-War years of the 20th century (post-1960).

Laker Airways

Laker Airways was formed in 1966. This was Laker's third and most prominent airline venture. Laker Airways commenced commercial airline operations in March of that year with a fleet of two ex-BOAC Bristol Britannias. These were subsequently supplemented and eventually replaced with a brand-new fleet of BAC 1-11 jetliners as well as a pair of second-hand Boeing 707 jets. Laker Airways was a wholly privately owned, Independent British airline founded by the late Sir Freddie Laker in 1966. ... Royal Air Force Bristol Britannia Spica in 1964 The Bristol Type 175 Britannia was a medium/long-range airliner built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company in 1952 to fly a number of air routes across the British Empire. ... The Boeing 707 is a four-engine commercial passenger jet airliner developed by Boeing in the early 1950s. ...

Initially, Laker Airways was a charter airline. For many years it had been the most profitable as well as the best-run charter airline in Britain. A charter airline is one that operates charter flights, that is flights that take place outside normal schedules, by a hiring arrangement with a particular customer. ...

Laker Airways had pioneered many new, cost-saving as well as profit-enhancing, commercial concepts and operational techniques.

Laker Airways also became the first Independent British airline to operate widebodied equipment when it introduced its first two McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10 series aircraft into commercial airline service in November 1972, the first European operator to do so. These aircraft were the first UK-registered DC-10s. The McDonnell Douglas DC-10 is a three-engine medium- to long-range widebody airliner, with two engines mounted on underwing pylons and a third engine at the base of the vertical stabilizer. ... This article is about the continent. ...

In 1973 Laker Airways operated the world's first Advanced Booking Charter flight. By the mid-1970s it had become the undisputed, global ABC flight market leader. This article, image, template or category should belong in one or more categories. ...

Laker Airways scored another "industry first" when it introduced its first daily "Skytrain" low-fare scheduled service between London Gatwick and New York JFK International Airport on September 1, 1977. John F. Kennedy International Airport (IATA Airport Code: JFK, ICAO Airport Code: KJFK) is the main international airport in New York City, and is one of the largest airports in the world. ... September 1 is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years). ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ...

Skytrain

On June 15, 1971 Laker Airways submitted an application to the UK's Air Transport Licensing Board (ATLB), one of the forerunners of today's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), to launch the world's first daily transatlantic, low-fare scheduled service between London and New York, charging a then incredibly low one-way fare of £32.50 in winter and £37.50 in summer. This was two-thirds less than what the major, established "flag" carriers were charging at the time. The proposed service was to be marketed using the "Skytrain" trademark and was to be initially operated with 158-seat, single-class Boeing 707-138Bs that were acquired second-hand. "Skytrain" was to be a "walk-on", "walk-off" operation that did not require any advance reservations. Instead seats were to be sold to the travelling public at each end of the route on a "first come, first served" basis only. June 15 is the 166th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (167th in leap years), with 199 days remaining. ... 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday. ... The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is the name for the national body governing civil aviation in a number of countries. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... NY redirects here. ...

The ATLB rejected Laker's application the same year itself. Laker appealed against the ATLB's refusal to grant a licence for his proposed "Skytrain" service. The appeal was successful and the ATLB eventually granted Laker the requested licence in February 1972.

However, on March 30, 1972 the UK Government revoked Laker's licence and instructed him to re-apply to the CAA, which came into being on April 1, 1972. March 30 is the 89th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (90th in leap years). ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... April 1 is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 274 days remaining. ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ...

Laker duly re-applied to the CAA for permission to operate eleven weekly "Skytrain" services each way between London Gatwick and New York JFK during the summer and seven weekly round-trips during the winter. ^[6] The summer schedule was to be operated with Laker's brand-new DC-10 widebodied jet aircraft to take advantage of increased demand he anticipated for his new low-fare service during the peak months from June to September as well as of the DC-10's low break-even load factor of only 52%. ^[6] The winter schedule was to be operated with 707 narrowbodies as specified in Laker's original application to the ATLB. ^[6] An overview of the airport. ... The breakeven point in economics is the point at which cost or expenses and income are equal _ there is no net loss or gain, one has broken even. The point at which a firm or other economic entity breaks even is equal to its fixed costs divided by its...

The newly formed CAA approved Laker's application on October 5, 1972. However, it specified Stansted rather than Gatwick as the service's UK departure/arrival point. ^[6] (The unexpected change in the UK departure/arrival point for Laker's "Skytrain" service was intended not to undermine the planned launch of BCal's daily Gatwick-JFK full-service scheduled operation for which the CAA had already granted that airline a 15-year licence - along with another 15-year licence for a daily Gatwick-Los Angeles International Airport full-service scheduled operation - during the so-called "cannon ball" hearings earlier the same year.) October 5 is the 278th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (279th in leap years). ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... This article refers to the Kent parish of Stansted. ... Gatwick Airport (IATA Airport Code: LGW, ICAO Airport Code: EGKK) is Londons second airport and the second largest airport in the UK after Heathrow. ... This article is becoming very long. ... Runway layout at LAX “LAX” redirects here. ...

The UK Government designated Laker Airways as a scheduled transatlantic UK "flag" carrier on January 11, 1973. ^[6] January 11 is the 11th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday. ...

However, under intense pressure from the established airlines, including Laker's archrival and next-door Gatwick neighbour BCal, against a backdrop of huge losses and overcapacity on the North Atlantic in the aftermath of the global energy crisis caused by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries' oil embargo, the UK's Labour Government of that era decided to revoke Laker's licence on July 29, 1975. For other uses, see Atlantic (disambiguation) The Atlantic Ocean is Earths second-largest ocean, covering approximately one-fifth of its surface. ... The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is made up of Algeria, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Venezuela; since 1965, its international headquarters have been in Vienna, Austria. ... The Labour Party has been, since its founding in the early 20th century, the principal political party of the left in England, Scotland and Wales. ... July 29 is the 210th day of the year (211th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday. ...

Freddie Laker took the Government to the UK High Court, which overturned the Government's decision to revoke the airline's licence for a "Skytrain" service between London and New York. Her Majestys High Court of Justice (usually known more simply as the High Court) is, together with the Crown Court and the Court of Appeal, part of the Supreme Court of Judicature of England and Wales (which under the Constitutional Reform Act 2005, is to be known as the...

It took another two years until Laker gained final approval - including a reciprocal permit from the relevant US authorities, which was granted on June 13, 1977 by US President Jimmy Carter ^[6] - to commence "Skytrain". Motto: (Out Of Many, One) (traditional) In God We Trust (1956 to date) Anthem: The Star-Spangled Banner Capital Washington D.C. Largest city New York City None at federal level (English de facto) Government Federal constitutional republic  - President George Walker Bush (R)  - Vice President Dick Cheney (R) Independence from... June 13 is the 164th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (165th in leap years), with 201 days remaining. ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... For the pop band, see Presidents of the United States of America. ... James Earl Jimmy Carter, Jr. ...

(In the meantime, Peter Shore, the then Secretary of State for Trade, had conducted a review of the Government's aviation policy and in 1976 announced a new "spheres of influence" policy that ended "dual designation" for British airlines on all long-haul routes. As a result of this new aviation policy BA and BCal were no longer permitted to run competing scheduled services on the same long-haul routes and the latter was forced to withdraw from the London-New York and London-Los Angeles routes, leading to the revocation of BCal's Gatwick-JFK and Gatwick-L.A. licences. The same year, Edmund Dell, Peter Shore's successor, renounced the original Bermuda air services agreement of 1946 and initiated bilateral negotiations with his US counterparts on a new air services agreement, which resulted in the Bermuda II treaty of 1977.) Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,290. ... This article is about the largest city in California. ... Bermuda II is a Bilateral Air Transport Agreement between the governments of the United Kingdom and the United States signed on July 23, 1977 as a renegotiation of the original 1946 Bermuda Agreement. ...

Laker's long-running "Skytrain" application was finally granted in 1977 upon designating the airline as the second UK flag carrier between London and New York under the then just-concluded Bermuda II UK-US air agreement. At the last minute prior to the inaugural "Skytrain" flight from London to New York Laker also received Government permission to use its Gatwick base as the service's UK departure and arrival point, rather than Stansted as originally specified in its licence.

"Skytrain" took to the air for the first time on September 1, 1977 when the service's inaugural flight departed London Gatwick for New York JFK. The inaugural service was operated by one of the airline's 345-seat McDonnell Douglas DC-10-10 widebodied aircraft. The fares charged at the time were £59 one-way from London and $99 one-way from New York.

"Skytrain" became a financial success in its first year of operation itself leading to further expansion over the coming years, in terms of both new routes as well as additional frequencies.

As a result of his clever publicity stunts to market the then brand-new London-New York "Skytrain" service, Freddie Laker himself became popular with the public ("the forgotten man's hero" ^[7]) and was regarded as one of Margaret Thatcher's "golden boys" of industry (along with Sir Clive Sinclair and Sir Alan Sugar). The former Conservative Prime Minister was a self-confessed "Freddie Laker fan". Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, LG, OM, PC (born October 13, 1925), former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, in office from 1979 to 1990. ... Sir Clive Marles Sinclair (born July 30, 1940), is a British entrepreneur and inventor of, among other things, the worlds first pocket calculator, in 1962. ... This article or section cites very few or no references or sources. ... The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is the second largest political party in the United Kingdom in terms of sitting Members of Parliament (MPs), the largest in terms of public membership, and is the second oldest extant political party in the world. ... The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is, in practice, the political leader of the United Kingdom. ...

However, it was James Callaghan's "pro-union" Labour Government that awarded Laker his knighthood for services to the airline industry in 1978, rather than Margaret Thatcher's subsequent "pro-business" Conservative administration. Leonard James Callaghan, Baron Callaghan of Cardiff, KG, PC (27 March 1912 – 26 March 2005), was Labour Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1976 to 1979. ...

As "Skytrain" expanded, the airline placed orders for additional McDonnell Douglas DC-10 widebodies, including the company's first order for five longer range series 30 aircraft, which were delivered from December 1979 onwards to support its growing number of destinations and frequencies. For the song by the Smashing Pumpkins, see 1979 (song). ...

The airline also became one of the early buyers of the first Airbus airliner, the A300, ordering ten of these widebodies in 1979 and had plans to deploy the aircraft on a new network of intra-European "Skytrain" routes in a big way. This article is about the airliner manufacturer. ... The Airbus A300 is a short to medium range, wide-body family of aircraft manufactured by Airbus Industries between 1972 and the present. ...

"Skytrain" came to an end when the airline went spectacularly bankrupt on February 5, 1982. February 5 is the 36th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Laker Airways' collapse and the end of Skytrain

In 1982 the company went bankrupt, owing over a quarter of a billion pounds. The airline made its last flight on February 6, 1982, the day after it went bankrupt. Insolvency is a financial condition experienced by a person or business entity when their assets no longer exceed their liabilities (commonly referred to as balance-sheet insolvency) or when the person or entity can no longer meet its debt obligations when they come due (commonly referred to as cash-flow... February 6 is the 37th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

There were numerous reasons for what was termed the biggest corporate failure in Britain at the time:

• Both Britain and the US were in recession and other airlines who were blaming Laker for the losses they had incurred as a result of being forced to compete with "Skytrain" desperately wanted it to fail.

• BCal's senior management's intense displeasure at the Government's decision to revoke its own - at the time unused - Gatwick-JFK and Gatwick-L.A. licences in order to enable Laker to substitute BCal as the designated second UK flag carrier on both of these routes under Bermuda II's strict dual designation rules undermined BCal's future expansion plans and, therefore, made it more likely that BCal would join in or lead any campaign to put Laker out of business.

• Laker's outspoken opposition to the anti-competitive practices to which IATA member airlines resorted at the time to stifle any serious attempt to compete with them made Laker many enemies in the IATA camp who wanted to be rid of the competitive threat Laker posed to them in the long term, including many airlines that actually did not compete directly with Laker's "Skytrain".

• Laker Airways had expanded too quickly in the late 1970s/early 1980s when it took delivery of a large fleet of brand-new DC-10 and A300 widebodies, which had been bought with funds borrowed at too high a rate of interest.

• The company was undercapitalised and did not enjoy the financial back-up of any significant assets, which seriously undermined its ability to withstand a concerted and prolonged campaign to put it out of business at the depth of the 1981/2 recession at the hands of its financially stronger competitors.

• Laker Airways incurred a revenue loss estimated at $13m when the world-wide DC-10 fleet was grounded as a result of having its certificate of airworthiness temporarily withdrawn in the aftermath of the American Airlines DC-10 crash at Chicago O'Hare in May 1979.

• Some passengers may also have perceived the DC-10 as unsafe as a result of a string of fatal accidents involving the aircraft within a short timespan during the late 1970s (including the 1979 AA Chicago crash).

• The implications of Laker Airways' strategic decision to build its business on discount travellers only.

The fallout from the company's demise descended into litigation, which delayed the privatisation of British Airways. The International Air Transport Association is an international trade organization of airlines headquarted in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. ... American Airlines (AA) is the largest airline in the world in terms of total passengers-miles transported[1] and fleet size[2], and the second-largest airline in the world (behind Cathay Pacific) in terms of total operating revenues. ... OHare International Airport is an airport located in Chicago, Illinois, 17 miles (27 km) northwest of the Chicago Loop. ...

Laker Airways Mark II

Laker was undaunted and almost immediately attempted to re-launch the airline on the back of a strong public following (a relief fund gathered over a million pounds, helped by an endorsement from the music band The Police who had used the airline to tour America). The Police are a three-piece rock band consisting of singer/bassist Sting, guitarist Andy Summers, and drummer Stewart Copeland. ...

Laker, by now living in the Bahamas, got off the ground again in the early 1990s, moving his refounded business' base to Freeport. Laker Airways (Bahamas) flew from there until it shut down in 2005. It was Laker's fourth and final airline venture. Freeport is a city and free trade zone on the island of Grand Bahama, located approximately 100 mi (160 km) east-northeast of Fort Lauderdale, South Florida and gives its name to a district of the Bahamas. ...

Laker's legacy

Laker is remembered for his famous advice to fellow airline entrepreneurs Sir Richard Branson, of Virgin Atlantic, and Stelios Haji-Ioannou, of easyJet, to "sue the bastards", a reference to the bullying tactics of British Airways in trying to force upstarts out of business. Virgin Atlantic later named one of its Boeing 747s The Spirit of Sir Freddie. Sir Richard Branson (born July 18, 1950) a famed British entrepreneur, is best known for his widely successful Virgin brand, a banner that encompasses a variety of business organizations. ... Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd. ... Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou (born 14 February 1967 in Athens) is a Greek-Cypriot born British entrepreneur and is best known for setting up easyJet, a low-cost airline. ... easyJet (LSE: EZJ) is a low cost airline officially known as easyJet Airline Company Limited, based at London Luton Airport. ... For the 1930s airline of similar name, see British Airways Ltd. ... The Boeing 747, commonly nicknamed the Jumbo Jet, is a long-haul, widebody commercial airliner manufactured by Boeing. ...

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b} Airliner World - The Laker Airways Skytrain, Key Publishing, Avenel, NJ, USA, July 2005, p. 72
2. ^ ^{a b c d e} Airliner World - Britain's Carferry Airlines, Key Publishing, Avenel, NJ, USA, July 2005, p. 34
3. ^ Fly me, I'm Freddie!, Eglin, R. and Ritchie, B., Weidenfeld and Nicolson, London, 1980, pp. 14-19
4. ^ Aviation News - UK and Irish airlines since 1945 (Part 34 [Dan-Air Services], Vol. 64, No. 12, p.954, HPC Publishing, St. Leonards on Sea, December 2002
5. ^ ^{a b} Airliner World - Britain's Carferry Airlines, Key Publishing, Avenel, NJ, USA, July 2005, pp. 33/4
6. ^ ^{a b c d e f} Airliner World - The Laker Airways Skytrain, Key Publishing, Avenel, NJ, USA, July 2005, p. 73
7. ^ Fly me, I'm Freddie!, Eglin, R. and Ritchie, B., Weidenfeld and Nicolson, London, 1980, pp. 161-171

References

• Eglin, Roger, and Ritchie, Berry (1980). Fly me, I'm Freddie. Weidenfeld and Nicolson. ISBN 0-2977-7746-7. 
• Airliner World - Britain's Carferry Airlines, January 2004. Key Publishing.  (Airliner World online)
• Airliner World - The Laker Airways Skytrain, July 2005. Key Publishing.  (Airliner World online)
• Aviation News - UK and Irish airlines since 1945 (Part 34 [Dan-Air Services], Vol. 64, No. 12, December 2002. HPC Publishing.  (Aviation News online)

External links

• www.lakerairways.co.uk - A website dedicated to Laker Airways, a source of information and a contact point for ex-crew members.
• Reuters News announcing his death
• Obituary from BBC News
• Obituary from Miami Herald
• Obituary from The Telegraph
• Final Interview

The current BBC News logo BBC News and Current Affairs is a major arm of the BBC responsible for the corporations newsgathering and production of news programmes on BBC television, radio and online. ... The Miami Herald is a daily newspaper owned by Knight Ridder. ... This article deals with The Daily Telegraph in Britain, see The Daily Telegraph (Australia) for the Australian publication The Daily Telegraph is a British broadsheet newspaper founded in 1855. ...

Footnote

In the film "Rude Boy" (1980) featuring the pioneer British punk band The Clash, lead singer Joe Strummer introduces a song titled "I'm So Bored with the USA" in a live concert venue with the words "This song is made possible by Freddie Laker." This article is about a Jamaican subculture. ... Punk rock is an anti-establishment music movement beginning around 1976 (although precursors can be found several years earlier), exemplified and popularised by The Ramones, the Sex Pistols, The Clash and The Damned. ... The Clash were an English punk rock band who were active from 1976 to 1986. ... John Graham Mellor (August 21, 1952 – December 22, 2002) better known as Joe Strummer, was the co-founder, lyricist, rhythm guitarist and lead singer of the English punk rock band The Clash, The Mescaleros and (temporarily) The Pogues. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...