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| Founded | 29 July 1966 | ||||||
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| Ceased operations | 5 February 1982[1] | ||||||
| Hubs | London–Gatwick Berlin–Tegel | ||||||
| Secondary hubs | Manchester | ||||||
| Focus cities | Glasgow–Prestwick | ||||||
| Subsidiaries | [International] Caribbean Airways (part-owned) Laker Air Travel Ltd. Arrowsmith Holidays Ltd. Laker Holidays GmbH | ||||||
| Fleet size | 20 aircraft (14 widebodies and six narrowbodies) at 5 February 1982 | ||||||
| Destinations | Europe/North America/Asia | ||||||
| Headquarters | Gatwick Airport | ||||||
| Key people | Freddie Laker, Alan Hellary | ||||||
Laker Airways was a private British airline founded by Sir Freddie Laker in 1966. It was originally a charter airline flying passengers and cargo worldwide. Its head office was located at Gatwick Airport in Crawley, England.[2]
It became the second long-haul, low-cost, "no frills" airline in 1977, operating low-fare scheduled services between London Gatwick Airport and New York City's John F. Kennedy Airport (after pioneering Icelandic low-cost carrier Loftleiðir).[3] In the early 1980s, the company went into bankruptcy during the recession, operating its last flight on 5 February 1982.
- ^ "The History Press | the end of an era for Laker Airways".
- ^ World airline directory, Flight International, 16 May 1981, p. 1445.
- ^ Gatwick Airport: The first 50 years, Woodley, C., The History Press, Stroud, 2014, p. 95