Sir Freddie Laker, who died in Miami on 10 February aged 83, is remembered by the aviation community throughout the world for his entrepreneurial acumen, his flamboyant charm, but most of all for being the “people’s champion”.
Laker made his fortune supplying cargo aircraft for use in the Berlin airlift in 1948. Through the 1950s he continued trading in aircraft, before joining British United Airways (BUA) in 1960. Disillusionment with the highly-regulated airline industry prompted him to start his own airline, Laker Airways, in February 1966.
Freddie was always committed to the concept of a low-fares, no-frills service, but had to battle against the entrenched interests and bullying tactics of the established airlines. This he finally won in 1977 when he obtained permission for his transatlantic Skytrain service, offering fares one-third those of other airlines. On 26 September 1977, the Laker Airways McDonnell Douglas DC-10 left London Gatwick airport on the first Skytrain service for New York Kennedy. But in February 1982 Laker Airways collapsed with debts of more than £250 million ($437 million).
He sued 12 airlines for predatory pricing, and won, but a bad choice of aircraft and the coincidental recession in the UK at the time also contributed to the airline’s demise. Sir Freddie turned his back on the UK and started a new airline in the Bahamas, but his heyday had gone forever.
GUNTER ENDRES / LONDON
Source: Flight International
