LAKER AIRWAYS
(United Kingdom)

Although Sir Freddie Laker failed twice with his airline, Laker Airways, was a pioneer among the charter operators. The airline, which was formed in 1966, was a charter and ad hoc operator and began in 1971 with the plans for a new revolutionary concept of low-fare no-reservation flights from London to New York. For the „Skytrain“ project, Laker chose the DC-10-10 and introduced it in November of 1972 on the charter flights to the holiday destinations in the Mediterranean sea. The inaugural revenue service from London-Gatwick to Mallorca was the first DC-10 service in Europe and also the first widebody trijet service on the old continent. Further DC-10s, also series 30 aircraft, were ordered for the Skytrain services but Laker sledded into financial problems and overcapacity as the U.S. boards lasted six years in giving the approval for this service so that the first „Skytrain“ left London-Gatwick on September 26th 1977, although the flights were originally planned for London-Stansted. In 1979, when the first series 30 aircraft arrived, Laker was able to fly the new London - Los Angeles route nonstop, but Laker never recovered from the crisis times. The strong competition from British Airways and several low-fare airlines made it impossible for Laker to pay the debts which were accumulated in the 1970s and so Laker ceased all operations on February 5th 1982 when the airline went into bankruptcy.

Following aircraft were operated by or for Laker Airways:

RegistrationAircraftFleetnr./NameOperated from - toWhere is it now?
G-AZZC46905/ 47Eastern Belle26.10.1972 - 11.1979 and
1980 - 05.02.1982
SCRAPPED
G-AZZD46906/ 50Western Belle16.11.1972 - 10.1977 and
12.1977 - 05.02.1982
SCRAPPED
G-BBSZ46727/ 83Canterbury Belle20.05.1974 - 10.1977 and
12.1977 - 05.02.1982
-stored-
G-BELO46501/ 2Southern Belle03.06.1977 - 05.02.1982Project Orbis
G-BGXE47811/ 30215.12.1979 - 09.1980 and
11.1980 - 05.02.1982
-stored-
G-BGXF47812/ 30305.01.1980 - 18.01.1981 and
03.1981 - 05.02.1982
FedEx
G-BGXG47813/ 31224.03.1980 - 05.02.1982-stored-
G-BGXH47814/ 315Florida Belle30.04.1980 - 05.02.1982-stored-
G-BGXI47815/ 32524.06.1980 - 17.12.1980 and
02.1981 - 05.02.1981
-stored-
G-GFAL46970/ 269Northern Belle27.02.1979 - 02.1982FedEx
G-GSKY46973/ 272California Belle21.03.1979 - 02.1982FedEx


Previous airline: Korean Air Lines Next airline: Laker Airways (1996 - 1999)

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