Lord King, 87, Privatized British Airways
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
Lord King of Wartnaby, who helped guide British Airways from a state owned carrier to a privatized airline, died Tuesday in London at 87.
King joined British Airways in 1981 as chairman when former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher moved to privatize several state-owned industries. He was made president in 1993 and then became president emeritus in 1997, the airline said.
While chairman, thousands of employees were laid off, older aircraft were replaced with new models, and unprofitable routes were eliminated.
The company was privatized in 1987 and has remained so since.
Current BA chairman Martin Broughton said King revitalized the airline, Europe’s largest.
“Lord King was a dynamic, inspiring, and formidable figure who led our company through one of the greatest periods of change in its history,” he said. “He transformed the airline from a position of state-owned weakness to one of financial strength and global renown as a pioneer privatized carrier.”
