Su Sir Freddie

Sir Freddie Laker, born Frederick Alfred Laker on 6 August 1922 in Canterbury, Kent, was a British entrepreneur who became one of the most significant figures in post-war aviation. He is best known for introducing the first low-cost, no-frills transatlantic air service — a concept that would eventually reshape the entire airline industry.

Laker grew up during the Great Depression and left school at 16 to work as an office boy at Short Brothers, the aircraft manufacturing company in Rochester, Kent. His keen interest in aviation was apparent from the start, and he rapidly progressed through the company, gaining a comprehensive understanding of aircraft design and engineering.

During World War II, Laker joined the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA), ferrying military aircraft — including Hurricanes and Halifax bombers — to frontline airfields across Britain. He later served with BOAC in the Middle East, maintaining and repairing aircraft. In 1948, he flew supply missions during the Berlin Airlift, hauling food and fuel into blockaded West Berlin — an experience that cemented his reputation as a resourceful operator.

After the war, Laker founded Aviation Traders Ltd in 1946, buying surplus military aircraft and converting them for civilian use. His most ingenious creation was the ATL-98 Carvair — a converted Douglas DC-4 with a hinged nose section that could load cars directly into the fuselage. The Carvair powered the Channel Air Bridge, a car ferry service that flew vehicles and passengers across the English Channel — years before the Channel Tunnel was even built.

By 1958, Laker was appointed Managing Director of British United Airways (BUA), then the largest independent airline in the United Kingdom. He oversaw its expansion and modernization but ultimately found the corporate structure too constraining. In 1965, he resigned to pursue his own vision.

In 1966, he founded Laker Airways, initially operating inclusive tour charter flights. But Laker had a far bigger ambition: a walk-on, no-reservation transatlantic service that ordinary people could afford. After six years of legal battles — with competitors including British Airways and British Caledonian lobbying against his licence — the Skytrain finally launched on 26 September 1977.

The Skytrain offered flights between London Gatwick and New York JFK for just £59 one way, using McDonnell Douglas DC-10 wide-body aircraft. Passengers queued overnight at Gatwick for tickets. It was an instant sensation, and within its first year, Skytrain had carried over a million passengers across the Atlantic. The service later expanded to Los Angeles.

However, this success was short-lived. In February 1982, amid a strengthening pound, soaring fuel costs, and what Laker alleged was predatory pricing by British Airways, Pan Am, TWA, and other major carriers, Laker Airways collapsed with debts of £270 million. The subsequent antitrust lawsuit resulted in a $48 million settlement in 1985, vindicating Laker's claims of anti-competitive behaviour. As The Daily Telegraph noted in his obituary, "Freddie Laker was cheered by millions and feared by the airline establishment."

Despite this devastating setback, Laker's passion for aviation was undeterred. He moved to the Bahamas, where in 1995, at the age of 73, he founded Laker Airways (Bahamas) Limited), operating flights between Freeport, Grand Bahama and Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Sir Freddie Laker was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1978 for his services to the aviation industry. He passed away on 9 February 2006 at the age of 83. His obituary in The Guardian, The New York Times, and The Daily Telegraph each paid tribute to a man who changed the face of air travel. His legacy lives on in every low-cost carrier that followed — from Ryanair to easyJet to Southwest Airlines.