Laker Airways (The Bahamas)

Laker Airways (Bahamas) was an airline founded in 1992,[1] which operated until 2005.

Laker Bahamas / Laker Inc
IATA ICAO Callsign
1. 6F
(Laker Inc)
2. 7Z
(Laker Bahamas)		 1. –
2. LBH
(Laker Bahamas)		 1. –
2. LBH
(Laker Bahamas)
Founded1992 (Laker Bahamas)
1996 (Laker Inc)
Ceased operations2005
HubsFreeport, Bahamas, Fort Lauderdale –
Hollywood International Airport
Fleet size
  • 8 (Laker Bahamas)
  • 2 (Laker Inc)
DestinationsLondon Gatwick Airport
Manchester Airport
Glasgow Prestwick Airport
Miami International Airport
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport
Raleigh-Durham International Airport
Richmond International Airport
Nashville International Airport
Palm Beach International Airport (West Palm Beach)
HeadquartersThe Bahamas
Key peopleSir Freddie Laker
Oscar Wyatt

History

Laker Airways (Bahamas) was a US-registered airline based in the Bahamas to which Sir Freddie Laker lent his name and operational expertise. The airline was established in 1992 with financial assistance from Oscar Wyatt, a Texas oilman and business partner of Sir Freddie Laker.[1] The initial fleet comprised two Boeing 727-200 Advanced narrow-bodied jet aircraft.[1] Laker Airways (Bahamas) stopped operating in 2005 when the firm was wound up.

Laker Airways "Mark II"

In 1996 Sir Freddie Laker and his business partner Oscar Wyatt, a self-made Texas oilman, established Laker Airways, Inc. as a sister airline to Laker Airways (Bahamas) to follow in the original, UK-based Laker Airways footsteps.[2] Laker Airways "Mark II" leased two McDonnell Douglas DC-10 widebodied jets to operate low-fare, high quality transatlantic scheduled services, which commenced on 5 July 1996 between Fort Lauderdale in Florida and London Gatwick at a frequency of two return flights per week.[2][3][4] Additional scheduled services subsequently linked Orlando with Manchester and Glasgow Prestwick.[3] Laker Airways, Inc. ceased operations in 1998.[5]

Destinations in 1994 and 1995

According to the September 15, 1994 edition of the Official Airline Guide (OAG), Laker Airway (Bahamas) was operating nonstop Boeing 727-200 jet service between its main base in Freeport, Bahamas (FPO) and the following U.S. destinations:[6]

The April 2, 1995 OAG edition listed nonstop Laker 727 service between Freeport and the same U.S. cities above with the exception of Birmingham, Greenville and Memphis which were no longer served by the airline by this time with the following new destinations being served by Laker nonstop from Freeport as well:[7]

According to other OAG flight listings, additional U.S. cities were served at various times as well during the airline's existence.

Historical Fleet
Laker Airways (Bahamas) / Laker Airways, Inc Fleet
Aircraft Total Registration Notes
Boeing 727-2J7 2 N552NA, N533NA Laker Airways (Bahamas)
Boeing 727-247 1 N580CR Laker Airways (Bahamas)
Boeing 727-223 2 N706AA, N707AA Laker Airways (Bahamas)
Boeing 727-281 3 N743US, N740US, N745US Laker Airways (Bahamas)
Douglas DC-10-30F 1 N832LA Laker Airways, Inc
Douglas DC-10-10 1 N834LA Laker Airways, Inc

Notes
  1. Laker resurfaces with new Bahamas airline, Air Transport, Flight International, 8-14 April 1992, p. 8
  2. PR Newswire for Journalists (Florida Attorney General sets July mediation deadline in Laker Airways antitrust suit against British Airways, July 9, 1997)
  3. HighBeam Research (PR Newswire, Laker Airways inaugurates Fort Lauderdale - London schedule service, July 5, 1996)
  4. No Frills - The Truth behind the Low-cost Revolution in the Skies, Calder, S., Virgin Books, London, 2002, p. 63
  5. independent.co.uk>News>Obituaries>Sir Freddie Laker (B. Ritchie, The Independent, print edition, 11 February 2006)
  6. Sept. 15, 1994 OAG Desktop Flight Guide, North American edition, Freeport, Bahamas flight schedules
  7. April 2, 1995 OAG Desktop Flight Guide, North American Edition, Freeport, Bahamas flight schedules
  • "Airliner Classics (Sir Freddie Laker - The Man Who Gave Us Skytrain, pp. 82-85)". Stamford, Lincs, UK: Key Publishing. November 2009. Archived from the original on 2010-01-06. Retrieved 2009-11-27. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  • AirlinersNet Photos
  • Code and Aircraft Data


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