Title: Laker Airways
Content: – New York "Skytrain". This aircraft was the DC-10's second prototype, which the airline had acquired direct from MDC at a knock-down price. By that time, the work force had expanded to 1,000. "Skytrain" was inaugurated between London Gatwick and New York JFK on 26 September 1977. It recorded a profit in excess of £2 million in its first year of operation. In early 1979, the airline ordered a further two McDonnell-Douglas DC-10 series 10 widebodies as well as five longer range McDonnell-Douglas DC-10 series 30 widebodied aircraft. Laker Airways expanded to Los Angeles (1978). The company acquired two-second-hand Boeing

Title: Freddie Laker
Content: launch the world's first daily transatlantic, low-fare scheduled service between London and New York City, charging a then incredibly low one-way fare of £32.50 in winter and £37.50 in summer. This was one third of what the major, established "flag carriers" were charging at the time. The proposed service was to be marketed using the "Skytrain" trademark and was to be initially operated with 158-seat, single-class Boeing 707-138Bs that were acquired second-hand. "Skytrain" was to be a "walk-on", "walk-off" operation that did not require any advance reservations. Instead, seats were to be sold to the travelling public at each end

Title: Laker Airways
Content: 707-351B narrowbodied long-haul aircraft from Cathay Pacific to commence non-stop operations to the US West Coast prior to receiving the first of the McDonnell-Douglas DC-10 series 30 aircraft that were on order. Following a public hearing, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) approved Laker's request to operate unrestricted "Skytrain" services at the beginning of July 1979. This enabled the airline to offer bookable seats, excursion fares and the carriage of cargo in addition to the original, non-bookable "Skytrain" fare from Gatwick to New York JFK and Los Angeles. With the arrival of the series 30 DC-10s, Intasun owner Harry Goodman recognised

Title: Freddie Laker
Content: until the end of the period.) "Skytrain" became a financial success in its first year of operation, leading to further expansion over the coming years, in terms of new routes as well as additional frequencies. As a result of his clever publicity stunts to market the then brand-new London—New York "Skytrain" service, Freddie Laker himself became popular with the public ("the forgotten man's hero") and was regarded as one of Margaret Thatcher's "golden boys" of industry (along with Sir Clive Sinclair and Sir Alan Sugar). The former Conservative Prime Minister was a self-confessed "Freddie Laker fan". However, it was James

Title: Freddie Laker
Content: Callaghan's "pro-union" Labour Government that awarded Laker his knighthood for services to the airline industry in 1978, rather than Margaret Thatcher's subsequent "pro-business" Conservative administration (although the latter had recommended him for his service to private enterprise in her capacity as the then leader of the opposition). As "Skytrain" expanded to other British and U.S. gateways, the airline placed orders for additional McDonnell Douglas DC-10 widebodies, including the company's first order for five longer-range series-30 aircraft required for its Los Angeles flights. These were delivered from December 1979 onwards to support its growing number of destinations and frequencies. The airline

Question: Who launched the short-lived Skytrain air service?
Answer: Freddie Laker