Laker Airways was a wholly private, British independent airline founded by Sir Freddie Laker in 1966. It originally was a charter airline flying passengers and cargo worldwide. Its head office was located at London Gatwick Airport in Crawley, England.
It became the first long-haul, low-cost, "no frills" airline in 1977, operating low-fare scheduled services between London Gatwick Airport and New York's John F. Kennedy Airport.
The company did not survive the recession of the early 1980s and operated its last flight on 5 February 1982, the day it went bankrupt.
Read more about Laker Airways: The Formative Years, New Commercial Developments, Bankruptcy, Lasting Impact On The Industry, Incidents and Accidents, Other Laker Airways Operations, Notes and Citations