Freddie Laker

Sir Frederick Alfred Laker (born August 6 1922), better known as Sir Freddie Laker is a legendary British airline owner. He was one of the first airline owners to introduce the so called No-frills airline system, one which has proven to be a very successful system worldwide.

Related Topics:
August 6 - 1922 - British

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Laker, originally from Kent, started working in aviation with the Short brothers. He was a member of the Air Transport Auxiliary team during the World War II years, from 1941 to 1946. In 1960, he joined British United Airways, where he was manager for five years. It was while with British United that Laker learned the ropes in the airline managing business. So, in 1966, he departed to form his own airline, Laker Airways, using second-hand airliners from BOAC. The livery was a mixture of black and red, with a bold LAKER logo on the tailplane.

Related Topics:
Kent - Aviation - World War II - 1941 - 1946 - 1960 - British United Airways - 1966 - Laker Airways - BOAC

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Laker Airways were committed to offering air travel as economically as possible, with passengers being required to buy tickets on the day of travel, their meals being paid for separately. In 1973 the company submitted an application to the British Air Transport Licensing Board to launch its trans-Atlantic Skytrain service, at a price almost one-third that of the major competition. The application was not granted until 1977, after much legal wrangling (there were doubts as to Laker's economic viability, and allegations of adverse pressure from a cartel involving the major airlines, who had meanwhile lowered their prices to just above Laker's level).

Related Topics:
British Air Transport Licensing Board - Cartel

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Skytrain was extremely popular, and Laker was popular with the public, a forerunner of Richard Branson and one of Margaret Thatcher's golden boys of industry (along with Sir Clive Sinclair and Alan Sugar). In 1978 Laker was knighted for services to the airline industry. His airline became one of the early buyers of the first Airbus airliners, the Airbus A300 and in 1981 had plans to expand into Europe.

Related Topics:
Richard Branson - Sir Clive Sinclair - Alan Sugar - Airbus - Airbus A300

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