Norwegian has revealed its maiden Boeing 737 MAX will pay tribute to aviation entrepreneur and pioneer Sir Freddie Laker. The carrier has a long history of honouring iconic figures on the tails of its aircraft, noting the personalities displayed on its jets “symbolise the spirit of Norwegian through innovation, challenging the norm and inspiring others.” Sir Freddie Laker will become Norwegian’s third British hero, following author Roald Dahl and pioneering aviatrix Amy Johnson.
Sir Freddie enjoyed a long and distinguished career in aviation, working for aircraft manufacturer Short Brothers, delivering military aircraft during World War Two, and setting up several airline ventures post-war. He was arguably best known for founding Laker Airways and the ‘Skytrain’ service which first took to the air in September 1977, offering low-cost long-haul flights from London/Gatwick to New York/JFK.
Norwegian CEO Bjorn Kjos said: “We continue to see huge growth in our transatlantic flights but we are standing on the shoulders of giants like Sir Freddie Laker who first pioneered the idea that travel should be affordable for all.
“Millions of passengers around the world owe a huge debt to Laker, who first opened the door to the affordable fares we all now enjoy. We are honoured to have Sir Freddie as one of our tail fin heroes and it is especially fitting that he will be the first face on our brand new MAX aircraft serving new transatlantic routes between the UK, Europe and the US this summer.”
Norwegian will take delivery of the first of 100 MAXs in May.
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