FREDDIE - Volume two of the Laker story picks up from 5th February 1982 when Laker Airways went into receivership and over 2,500 employees lost their livelihoods. In the days that followed hundreds of Laker staff marched on 10 Downing Street in protest. A fighting fund out of public donations was established to relaunch the airline to no avail. A billion-dollar antitrust suit followed in the USA brought by Christopher Morris, the Liquidator of Laker Airways together with a separate US Department of Justice investigation into illegal fare fixing.
Written with the cooperation of Christopher Morris and both his US and UK legal teams Freddie is both a legal ‘whodunnit’ casting light on Freddie’s lost years between 1982 and 1995 and his resurgence with a new transatlantic airline. Concluding with his final years operating his Bahamas airline, with Freddie by now in his 80’s still creating plenty of drama until his end.
It is the story of a true visionary with a mesmerising but at times deeply flawed personality, who nevertheless inspired almost inexplicable devotion from those who knew him best.
ISBN 978 0 9956486 3 0 £20 (Hardback UK)
608 pages and three 16-page galleries (330 total images)
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This is a very well researched book showing the intertwining of the business and personal lives of Sir Freddie Laker, post 5 February 1982. The passages documenting the legal proceedings concerning previous businesses are complex and illustrate the years it took, to achieve tangible results. A number of decisions and one in particular he made in his later life, are certainly highly questionable to an outsider.
"Incredible tales from an icon who picked himself up, dusted himself down & walked forward again"
Reviews
Congratulations to the co-authors for getting readers as close as it is possible to get, to seeing and understanding a driven and very determined entrepreneur.
"For anyone with an interest in UK civil aviation, this is a must read."
The book is a 'chef d'oeuvre', 'meister werk'. There will be plenty of eyebrows raised. It contains only very well researched truth and the story (for History's sake) needed to be told. A full biography of Sir Freddie is long overdue.
"The writers ability to synthesise the various complexities throughout this book is a real testament to their skill and tenacity."