Sir Freddie Laker: Low-cost Airline Pioneer and Early Member of the ACAA
February 13, 2006
American travellers and businesses can thank Sir Freddie Laker for the convenient, affordable air travel options we enjoy today in many parts of this country. Laker, a British businessman, died February 9th at the age of 83 in Miami, FL.
One of the earliest members of the ACAA, Laker promoted the importance that all should be able to fly and that airline travel is not only reserved for the wealthy. He made available low-cost, affordable air travel to all American consumers with inventive and groundbreaking strategies, revolutionizing the shape of the aviation industry in the process.
Laker studied aeronautics, flew in World War II and started his airline, Laker Airways Ltd., in 1966 as a charter carrier. His ultimate vision was to create an airline for "poor people," especially students and senior citizens who wanted to travel between London and the United States. Bahamas-based Laker Airlines flew tourists between the islands and the East Coast of the United States for 15 years.
Laker's unprecedented strategies have helped set the stage for the success of other low-fare carriers including Air Tran Airways, Spirit Airlines, and Frontier Airlines. Each of these carriers has expanded options for the very travelers that Laker worked to provide additional travel options.