Of Sir Freddie Laker

Published Spring 2018 CONTENTS ir Freddie Laker was one of Britain’s greatest entrepreneurs. His revolutionary Skytrain service created a grass-roots THE AUTHORS Smovement and gave the opportunity of affordable air travel between the UK and the USA to millions who could never PART 1: FIRST FORTUNES 1922-65 before have the experience. AnIa Grzesik trained at Chelsea Freddie’s early life including the Berlin Airlift, his first College of Art and Slade School of The impact of Skytrain was pivotal in President Jimmy Carter‘s deregulation of the U.S. airline industry. Numerous airlines Fine Art. She started her career at lucrative business ventures, innovative aircraft followed Laker’s example to the point that now, (for better or worse) his original no-frills / low-cost model has become the industry F1 Magazine and was involved in designs, and the tumultuous BUA years... capped by standard for many of the world’s air carriers. the launch of BusinessF1 Magazine the untimely death of his only son. and as Art Director of SportsPro Inspired by commercial success followed by a knighthood, Sir Freddie embarked on a massive expansion programme. He and Spectator Business magazines. PART 2: HIS NAME ON EVERY PLANE 1965-77 purchased many more aircraft, took on immense financial commitments and sought hundreds of routes across the globe. Laker Ania is the freelance creative director of the Myrtle The humble start of Laker Airways, its rapid was one of the top five transatlantic airlines in 1981 and Sir Freddie made enemies amongst his competitors, lending institutions Press, publishers of best-selling biographies on expansion with the BAC 1-11 and the time charter and foreign entities. Aided by their governments, they conspired to bring him down. There were no legal paths to protect him and Grand Prix racing legends Ayrton Senna and James he was hindered by his personal life, which was in disarray. concept. Freddie’s inspired decision to buy the first Hunt, actor Richard Burton and most recently soul superstar, Barry White. widebody DC-10’s in Europe. Ground-breaking On February 5th 1982, Laker Airways was forced out of business. Hundreds of Laker staff marched on 10 Downing Street in In the course of researching ‘LAKER’, Ania spent charter flights to North America and the six-year protest. A fighting fund was established, Sting and the Police did a benefit concert as they acknowledged without Laker they could never have made it in the USA. Lonrho’s Tiny Rowland offered financial assistance to help re-start the airline... all to no avail. considerable time with the instigator and key battle with governments for the revolutionary protagonists of the unprecedented Laker Airways’ But like all champions, Sir Freddie picked himself up and started again in the USA and the Bahamas. Skytrain no-frills, low-cost transatlantic air service. antitrust case against most of Europe’s state- Now, for the first time, the unsanitised story of Sir Freddie, his brilliant and often overly-ambitious business ventures and his owned airlines. Along with numerous other PART 3: GLOBAL DOMINATION 1977-82 troubled personal life is being told. exclusive interviews and volumes of documents The first Skytrain flight from London to New York, and correspondence, she has unique perspectives makes headlines and creates ‘Lakerville’. A long- on Laker Airways and Sir Freddie that have never Technical: awaited son, his knighthood and the success of Distributed in the United Kingdom by: before been revealed. Ania is an artist, writer and ISBN: 978 0 9956486 0 9 Skytrain fuel unprecedented growth with new aircraft Gardners Books graphic designer from Stratford-upon-Avon. 1 Whittle Drive, Eastbourne, Hardback: Perfect Binding acquisitions and aspirations for Asia, Australia and East Sussex, BN23 6QH Dimensions: 239 x 156 x 50 mm Gregory Dix worked with Sir Europe. A perfect storm of events including a fare UK Sales Enquiries: [email protected] Weight: 700 grams Freddie Laker for twenty years in war on the North Atlantic and a conspiracy designed Tel: 01323 521777 Dust Jacket: Full colour gloss numerous roles. After obtaining Fax: 01323 521666 to put Laker Airways out of business, compounded by laminate embossed his pilot’s licence and undergoing Bertrams Pages: 600 + mono text formative years with British domestic upheaval... then a late false dawn. 1 Broadland Business Park, Colour: 5 x 16 page sections Midland, Monarch and Gatwick Norwich, NR7 0WF PART 4: TRANSFORMATION 1982-84 Tel: 01603 648400 (over 350 captioned photos) Handling, he started with Laker Sir Freddie in New York making TV commercials Fax: 01603 648109 Appendices: 30 pages Airways in their Gatwick HQ Operations department. His responsibilities included believing all is well. Back home, he’s blind-sided by his Email: [email protected] End Papers: Engraved Publication Date: 2018 managing Laker’s entire fleet on a day to day basis lenders and instructed to call in the Receivers. Laker End Papers: Engraved and he also spent extended periods in the Middle Airways is grounded. Immediate steps to revive Price: £25.00 (Hardback) East and Africa overseeing the Hajj pilgrimage flights Freddie’s airline amid an out-pouring of public to Mecca. Greg was sent to New York in 1978 to run support come to nothing. New business ventures in the flagship JFK station for Skytrain and he then set up and managed all Laker’s stations in North the UK and North America backed by Lonrho’s Tiny America for the rapid expansion of the Skytrain Rowland. The well-publicised Laker Airways’ $1b service. After spending over a year in pursuit of antitrust case against major airlines and manufacturers. Laker’s ‘Globetrain’ inspired routes to the far east British Airways is forced to pay up. Sir Freddie turns and Australia, he oversaw Laker Airways’ North his back on Britain and settles in Florida. American operations to the end. Immediately after, he and Sir Freddie started an PART 5: IT NEVER TASTES THE SAME 1984-2006 innovative in-house tour operation for Lonrho’s Innovative tour operations for Lonrho to The Princess Hotels group and under Greg’s stewardship it became a major driving force in Bahamas’ tourism. Bahamas and Mexico. Laker Airways Bahamas is He then did a stint as CEO of the renowned Braniff formed followed by an ambitious trans-Atlantic air- International Airways before starting his own line using DC-10’s, backed by a Texan oil tycoon. Sir marketing company. Few people knew Sir Freddie Freddie’s 60 years in civil aviation are finally tainted by better than Greg, who points out “we always seemed strained relationships and ill-health then shattered by to be pushing the limits and doing something worthwhile.” Greg lives in western Massachusetts. devastating hurricanes. The Life (& Lessons) of Sir Freddie Laker The legendary “Freddie, the press didn’t treat you very well did they?” Sir Freddie Laker’s Margaret Thatcher definitive biography, “and neither did you Margaret” with astonishing new Sir Freddie Laker disclosures about the man, his impulsive “Freddie Laker may be at business strategies... peace with his maker... but he is persona non grata with IATA” and his turbulent HRH Prince Philip personal life. First fortunes with the Berlin Airlift, INCLUDES... never before released his aircraft creations and the confidential information from Sir tumultuous BUA years. Laker Airways Freddie’s archives, offering is born after personal tragedy. The startling, fresh revelations. meteoric growth of the airline and his six year battle with UK and USA WITH... first hand perspectives from governments for the Skytrain licence, Sir Freddie’s top managers, lawyers, bringing affordable transatlantic air confidantes... and adversaries. travel to everyone. PLUS... unpublished, proprietary facts The grass roots movement that and testimony by the instigator of followed prompted considerable the Laker Airways’ antitrust suit. resentment from Laker’s competitors. AND... invaluable lessons from Sir Freddie’s Compounded by ill-timed personal seven decades of business experience - upheaval, Sir Freddie’s airline was that isn’t taught in college. brought down by a perfect storm of events, some of which was of his “I wouldn’t have got anywhere in the own making. The antitrust case that airline industry without his mentorship” followed. Innovative tour operations Sir Richard Branson for the Bahamas and Sir Freddie’s final, ambitious airline ventures partnered by a renowned Texan oil tycoon. Recursive Publishing Ltd. UK agent: The Myrtle Press, Billing Wharf, Station Road, Northamptonshire, NN4 1NH, England Tel: +44 (0)1604 890 208 Fax: +44 (0)1604 891 993 [email protected] USA agent: Get A Life 101 Inc, PO Box 2388, Lenox, Massachusetts 01240, USA www.recursivepublishing.com.

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