Sir Freddie Laker launches Skytrain; the inaugural flight took place on 26th September 1977. This was a no frills low fare, walk-on-walk-off, budget daily service between London Gatwick and JFK in New York. The price £59-00 one-way, very much cheaper than the fare British Airways and the large American airlines charged. The inaugural flight took place amongst much hype on 26th September 1977. James Callaghan’s Labour government knighted Laker the following year. Though Skytrain...
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Sir Freddie Laker launches Skytrain; the inaugural flight took place on 26th September 1977. This was a no frills low fare, walk-on-walk-off, budget daily service between London Gatwick and JFK in New York. The price £59-00 one-way, very much cheaper than the fare British Airways and the large American airlines charged. The inaugural flight took place amongst much hype on 26th September 1977. James Callaghan’s Labour government knighted Laker the following year. Though Skytrain was driven out of business by ruthless British and American government ‘fixing’. Freddie Laker paved the way for other low price airline operators, notably Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Atlantic and Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou of easyJet.
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