Laker Airways

Kevin was killed in a car accident on the A23 Road near Gatwick Airport a short time later but Sir Freddie continued. The airline made its last flight on February 6 , 1982 when the it became bankrupt. The airline was based at Gatwick Airport in the United Kingdom and started out with two Bristol Britannia aircraft shortly followed by five BAC 111-400s for European shorthaul charters to holiday destinations in the Mediterranean. Eventually two ex- Qantas B707-138Bs replaced the Britannias for long haul flights and, in November 1972, Laker was the first airline outside North America to take delivery of three DC10-10s direct from the factory. On April 1st, 1973 new charter regulations came into effect in the UK, Canada and the USA allowing "Advance Booking Charters" or ABC flights on which Sir Freddie built a successful business over the next several years. Laker Airways flew the world's inaugural ABC flight on April 2nd, 1973 from Manchester to Toronto on one of the DC10s with about 250 passengers who had paid as little as GBP49 for a return ticket. Laker's transatlantic charter flights provided free meals, free inflight movies (a brand new phenomenom) and a free inflight bar.

The low cost "Skytrain" between London and New York was started in 1977 based on which Laker Airways expanded very rapidly to add Miami and Los Angeles but Laker Airways proved not to have the financial strength to survive the recession of the early 1980s against the major scheduled airlines. Sir Freddie sued British Airways , Pan Am , TWA, Lufthansa , Air France as well as other major scheduled airlines for conspiracy to put him out of business by predatory pricing. They eventually settled out of court for USD100 million and enabled Laker Airways to pay off it's debts.

While Laker failed, parts of its Business Model like low fares and buying meals on board the aircraft are becoming more popular in the 21st Century . Similarly, the idea of buying tickets on the day of travel has been adopted by airline shuttles on the United States north east corridor and on the eastern shores of Australia .

TRIVIA

Laker Airlines has a similar name and was an American airline to which Sir Freddie lent his name and operational expertise but was financed by a Texan oilman.

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Laker Airways