Editing Court Line

{{Short description|English shipping and airline group, 1905–1974}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}
{{Infobox airline
| image_size = 255
| airline = Court Line
| image = File:Court Line Logo, March 1974.svg
| IATA = none
| ICAO = OU
| callsign = COURTLINE
| aoc = 
| hubs = [[London Luton Airport]]
| focus_cities = 
| frequent_flyer = 
| fleet_size = 11
| destinations = 
| company_slogan = 
| parent = 
| num_employees = 
| founded = {{start date and age|1905}}<br/><small>(as shipping company)</small><br/>{{start date and age|1957}}<br/><small>(as Argus Air Transport)</small>
| ceased = {{end date and age|1974}}
| headquarters = [[London]] (1905–1970)<br>London Luton Airport<br>(1970–1974)
| key_people = Sir Philip Haldin,<br>John R Young,<br>Edward J Posey,<br>GHG Threlfall,<br>WH Armstrong
}}

'''Court Line''' was a 20th-century British [[Tramp trade|tramp]] shipping company that was founded in 1905. In the 1960s it diversified into [[shipbuilding]] and [[Air charter|charter aviation]]. Its merchant shipping interests were based in [[Port of London|London]]. Its [[shipyard]]s were at [[Appledore, Torridge|Appledore]] in [[Devon]] and [[Sunderland]] in [[Tyne and Wear]]. Its airline was based at [[Luton Airport]] in [[Bedfordshire]]. It also provided bus services in [[Luton]] and surrounding areas.

Its airline helped pioneer the concept of "cheap and cheerful" [[package tour]]s to [[Spain]] and other destinations in the [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]] in conjunction with [[Clarksons Travel Group|Clarksons Holidays]], thus taking part in the establishment of a whole new way of holidaymaking for the British public.

The Court Line group, including its airline and subsidiary [[tour operator]]s, [[Clarksons Travel Group]] and [[Horizon Travel]], ceased trading on 15 August 1974, with at least [[pounds sterling|£]]7 million owing to 100,000 holidaymakers.<ref name="end_of_the_line">{{Cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1974/1974%20-%201207.html |title=''The Court failure'', Flight International, 22 August 1974, editorial page |access-date=16 January 2010 |archive-date=24 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024035524/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1974/1974%20-%201207.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Bubble">{{Cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1974/1974%20-%201210.html |title=''The bubble bursts'', Air Transport, Flight International, 22 August 1974, p. 198 |access-date=2 May 2009 |archive-date=27 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110527145039/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1974/1974%20-%201210.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Shipping==
Philip Haldinstein was a [[British Jews|British Jewish]] businessman from [[Norwich]]. He founded the [[Tramp trade|tramp shipping]] company Haldinstein and Co Ltd in 1905.<ref name=Grace>{{cite web |url= https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Court_Line |title=Court Line |work=Grace's Guide to British Industrial History |access-date=24 May 2021}}</ref> [[Robert Stephenson and Company]] launched Haldinstein's first ship, ''Arlington Court'', at [[Hebburn]] on the [[River Tyne]] that October.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.tynebuiltships.co.uk/A-Ships/arlingtoncourt1905.html |title=Arlington Court |work=Tyne Built Ships |publisher=Shipping and Shipbuilding Research Trust |access-date=24 May 2021}}</ref>

[[File:StateLibQld 1 141011 Hannington Court (ship).jpg|thumb|''[[SS Empire Brigade|Hannington Court]]'', built for Court Line in 1912 and sold in 1936<ref name=WBS/>]]
Between 1906 and 1912 Haldinstein added several new steamships from shipyards on the Tyne<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.tynebuiltships.co.uk/G-Ships/geddingtoncourt1912.html |title=Geddington Court |work=Tyne Built Ships |publisher=Shipping and Shipbuilding Research Trust |access-date=24 May 2021}}</ref> and the [[River Wear]].<ref name=WBS>{{cite web |url= http://www.sunderlandships.com/view.php?year_built=&builder=&ref=103246&vessel=HANNINGTON+COURT |title=Hannington Court |work=Wear Built Ships |publisher=Shipping and Shipbuilding Research Trust |access-date=24 May 2021}}</ref> When the [[World War I|First World War]] broke out in 1914, Haldinstein & Co had a fleet of seven ships and was operating as Court Line, Ltd.<ref>{{cite book |year=1914 |title=Lloyd's Register of Shipping |volume=I |chapter=List of Ship Owners and Managers |place=London |publisher=[[Lloyd's Register]] of Shipping}}</ref> [[Anti-German sentiment]] arose in Britain in the war, so in 1915 Haldinstein shortened his surname to Haldin.<ref name=Grace/>

In 1915 Haldin bought a second-hand ship, ''Dalebank'', which he renamed ''Ilvington Court''. In 1917 a U-boat sank ''Ilvington Court'' in the [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]], killing eight of her crew.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://uboat.net/wwi/ships_hit/2983.html |last=Helgason |first=Guðmundur |title=Ilvington Court |work=uboat.net |access-date=24 May 2021}}</ref> Haldin sold several ships between 1916 and 1921, reducing his fleet to only two ships: ''Geddington Court'' and ''Hannington Court''.<ref name=Finch>{{cite web |url= http://www.mariners-list.com/site_pages.php?section=Shipping+Companies&category=English&page_name=Court+Line |last=Finch |first=Ted |title=Court Line / Haldin & Philipps, London |work=Mariners |date=17 July 2011 |access-date=24 May 2021}}</ref>

From 1924 onward Haldin expanded his fleet again. He bought a mixture of new and second-hand ships. The second-hand ones were ships that had been built just after the end of the First World War to the [[Shipping Controller]]'s war standard designs. Haldin continued to name his ships in the same "''—ington Court''" style, and re-used some names more than once. By 1926 the fleet had 26 ships.<ref name=Finch/>

In 1926 Haldin registered his fleet under the name United British Steamship Co Ltd. In 1929 Richard Philipps, the youngest brother of [[Owen Philipps, 1st Baron Kylsant]], joined Haldin in the business, which was renamed Haldin and Philipps Ltd. In the 1930s part of the fleet was laid up.<ref name=Grace/> In 1939 Haldin was made a [[Knight Bachelor]].<ref name=Engineer>{{cite web |url= https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Philip_Haldin |title=Philip Haldin |work=[[The Engineer (UK magazine)|The Engineer]] |via=Grace's Guide to British Industrial History |date=13 November 1953 |access-date=24 May 2021}}</ref>

[[File:NOLLINGTON COURT (9564510839).jpg|thumb|''Nollington Court'' in 1932. She sank in the [[Caribbean Sea|Caribbean]] in 1937.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.teesbuiltships.co.uk/view.php?year_built=&builder=&ref=170715&vessel=CONISTONE |title=Conistone |work=Tees Built Ships |publisher=Shipping and Shipbuilding Research Trust |access-date=24 May 2021}}</ref>]]
In 1937 Court Line lost two ships. ''Nollington Court'' sank in the [[Caribbean Sea|Caribbean]] after striking a submerged object.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?133507 |last1=Lettens |first1=Jan |last2=Allen |first2=Tony |title=SS Quarrington Court (+1937) |work=Wrecksite.eu |date=12 October 2015 |access-date=24 May 2021}}</ref> Less than a fortnight later, ''Quarrington Court'' sank in the [[Red Sea]] after springing a leak in a water intake in her [[engine room]].<ref>{{cite web |url= https://wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?133506 |last=Allen |first=Tony |title=SS Quarrington Court (+1937) |work=Wrecksite.eu |date=17 January 2018 |access-date=24 May 2021}}</ref>

When the [[World War II|Second World War]] began in 1939, Haldin & Philipps Ltd had a fleet of 23 ships.<ref>{{cite book |year=1939 |title=Lloyd's Register of Shipping |volume=I |chapter=List of Ship Owners and Managers |place=London |publisher=[[Lloyd's Register]] of Shipping |via=[[Southampton City Council]] |url= https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/39/39a1008.pdf |access-date=24 May 2021}}</ref> In the war it lost 14 ships, 13 of them to enemy action, with the loss of 136 lives.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://wrecksite.eu/ownerBuilderView.aspx?4318 |title=Court Line Ltd. - P. E. Haldinstein - Haldin & Philipps |work=Wrecksite.eu |url-access= registration |access-date=24 May 2021}}</ref> One ship, {{SS|Pennington Court||2}}, was lost with all hands.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ship/2254.html |last=Helgason |first=Guðmundur |title=Pennington Court |work=uboat.net |access-date=24 May 2021}}</ref>

From 1940 onward Haldin & Philipps started to manage some [[Empire ship]]s for the [[Ministry of War Transport]]. In 1945 and 1946 it bought these ships and renamed them with "''—ington Court''" names.

In 1948 Philipps retired, and the company name reverted to Haldin & Co.<ref name=Grace/> Haldin died in 1953, aged 73.<ref name=Engineer/>

From 1952 onward Haldin & Co started to buy new ships again. In the 1960s the fleet diversified into [[Tanker (ship)|tankers]]. The first was ''Edith Borthen'', which Haldin bought in 1963 and renamed ''Halcyon Days''. The second was ''Halcyon Breeze'', which [[Hitachi Zosen Corporation|Hitachi]] built for Court Line in [[Japan]] in 1964. The [[Admiralty (United Kingdom)|Admiralty]] [[Chartering (shipping)|chartered]] ''Halcyon Breeze'' as the [[Replenishment oiler|oiler]] {{ship|RFA|Derwentdale|A221|6}}.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.historicalrfa.org/rfa-derwentdale |title=RFA Derwentdale |work=Histprocal RFA |access-date=24 May 2021}}</ref> All Court Line tankers were named in the same "''Halcyon —''" style.<ref name=Finch/>

In 1964 Court Line bought [[Appledore Shipbuilders]] in [[Devon]].<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-james-venus-1548891.html |last=Wilson |first=Bill |title=Obituary: James Venus |newspaper=[[The Independent]] |date=1 September 1992 |access-date=24 May 2021}}</ref> In 1972 it took over a larger shipbuilding business, the [[William Doxford & Sons|Doxford and Sunderland Group]].<ref name=Grace/> When the Court Line group went bankrupt in 1974, the shipyards and remaining ships in the fleet were sold.

==Aviation==
===Autair===
The airline, originally named '''Argus Air Transport''', was formed at [[London Luton Airport]] in 1957.<ref name="Bubble"/><ref name="WorldAirlines_1973">{{Cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1973/1973%20-%200758.html |title=''World Airline Survey'', Flight International, 22 March 1973, p. 452 |access-date=19 January 2010 |archive-date=24 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024052458/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1973/1973%20-%200758.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="WorldAirlines_1974">{{Cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1974/1974%20-%200457.html |title=''World Airline Directory'', Flight International, 21 March 1974, p. 31 |access-date=2 May 2009 |archive-date=18 March 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100318001651/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1974/1974%20-%200457.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In 1960, it became '''Autair (Luton)'''. On 27 September 1963, it changed to '''Autair International Airways'''.<ref name="Autair_schedulestart">{{Cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1963/1963%20-%201792.html |title=''Blackpool—London'', Air Commerce ..., Flight International, 10 October 1963, p. 601 |access-date=16 January 2010 |archive-date=24 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024025127/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1963/1963%20-%201792.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
[[Image:Douglas C-47A G-AGHJ Autair RWY 06.62 edited-2.jpg|thumb|right|[[Douglas DC-3]] of Autair at [[Manchester Airport|Manchester]] in 1962]]
[[Image:Vickers Viking 1 G-AHPB Autair AMS 14.03.67 edited-4.jpg|thumb|right|Autair [[Vickers VC.1 Viking|Vickers Viking]] freighter at [[Amsterdam Airport Schiphol|Amsterdam]] in March 1967]]
Autair started as a division of '''Autair Helicopters''', a [[helicopter]] operator established in the early 1950s.<ref name="Autair_schedulestart"/><ref name="Autair_VitalStats_1963">{{Cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1963/1963%20-%200535.html |title=''World Airline Survey'', Flight International, 11 April 1963, p. 513 |access-date=17 January 2010 |archive-date=24 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024043738/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1963/1963%20-%200535.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Autair_profile">{{Cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1968/1968%20-%202399.html |title=''Autair International Airways Ltd'', Britain's Airline Industry — Company-by-company information on the scheduled and non-scheduled carriers, Flight International, 24 October 1968, p. 657 |access-date=14 January 2010 |archive-date=24 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024010854/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1968/1968%20-%202399.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="CourtLine_Profile1">{{Cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1970/1970%20-%200486.html |title=''Airline Profile: Number Thirty-Nine in the Series — Court Line'', Flight International, 19 March 1970, p. 438 |access-date=16 January 2010 |archive-date=27 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120527141006/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1970/1970%20-%200486.html |url-status=live }}</ref> (Autair's [[helicopter]] interests were subsequently hived off into a separate company.<ref name="Bubble"/><ref name="CourtLine_Profile1"/>) It began public transport operations with an ex-[[British European Airways]] (BEA) [[Douglas DC-3]],<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.airliners.net/photo/Autair/Douglas-C-47A-Skytrain/1215862/L/ |title=Autair Douglas C-47A Skytrain G-AJIC (photo) |access-date=24 January 2010 |archive-date=4 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604220317/http://www.airliners.net/photo/Autair/Douglas-C-47A-Skytrain/1215862/L/ |url-status=live }}</ref> used on contract work for other airlines.<ref name="Autair_schedulestart"/><ref name="Autair_VitalStats_1963"/><ref name="CourtLine_Profile2">{{Cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1970/1970%20-%200487.html |title=''Airline Profile: Number Thirty-Nine in the Series — Court Line'', Flight International, 19 March 1970, p. 439 |access-date=16 January 2010 |archive-date=27 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120527141011/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1970/1970%20-%200487.html |url-status=live }}</ref> More [[Douglas DC-3|DC-3]]s and [[Vickers VC.1 Viking|Vickers Viking]]s<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.airliners.net/photo/Autair/Vickers-614-Viking/1231360/L/ |title=Autair Vickers 614 Viking 1 G-AHPB (foreground) and G-AGRW (background) (photo) |access-date=24 January 2010 |archive-date=4 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604220324/http://www.airliners.net/photo/Autair/Vickers-614-Viking/1231360/L/ |url-status=live }}</ref> were bought. The first of the latter joined the fleet in 1962. Both types operated freight and passenger services, including a growing number of [[inclusive tour]] (IT) flights.

One of the earliest charter customers for Autair's DC-3s was ex-[[Naval officer rank|naval officer]] [[Tom Gullick]],<ref name="Aircraft_37">''Aircraft (Gone but not forgotten ... COURT LINE)'', Vol 43, No 7, p. 37, Ian Allan Publishing, Hersham, July 2010</ref> who would later head [[Clarksons Travel Group|Clarksons]]. Clarksons began its relationship with Autair by contracting the airline's [[Vickers VC.1 Viking|Viking]]s to ferry day-trippers between up to ten UK departure points and [[Rotterdam]] during the [[Netherlands|Dutch]] bulbfield season.<ref name="end_of_the_line"/><ref>''Aeroplane — Airline of the month: Channel Airways'', Vol. 112, No. 2867, pp. 6–7, Temple Press, London, 29 September 1966</ref><ref name="CourtLine_Profile2"/> [[Airspeed AS 57 Ambassador|Airspeed Ambassador]]s<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.airliners.net/photo/Autair/Airspeed-AS-57-Ambassador/1230517/L/ |title=Autair Airspeed AS-57 Ambassador 2 G-ALZS (photo) |access-date=24 January 2010 |archive-date=4 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604220405/http://www.airliners.net/photo/Autair/Airspeed-AS-57-Ambassador/1230517/L/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and a leased [[Handley Page Dart Herald|Handley Page Herald]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.airliners.net/photo/Autair/Handley-Page-HPR-7/0373522/L/ |title=Handley Page HPR-7 Herald 101 G-APWB (photo) |access-date=24 January 2010 |archive-date=4 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604220336/http://www.airliners.net/photo/Autair/Handley-Page-HPR-7/0373522/L/ |url-status=live }}</ref> were introduced in 1963. The former were the airline's first [[cabin pressurization|pressurise]]d aircraft while the latter was its first [[turboprop]].<ref name="Autair_schedulestart"/><ref name="Autair_VitalStats_1963"/>

On 1 October 1963, the airline commenced scheduled services between [[Blackpool Airport|Blackpool]] and [[London Luton Airport|Luton]] with Vikings.<ref name="end_of_the_line"/><ref name="Autair_schedulestart"/><ref name="CourtLine_Profile2"/><ref name="Background">''High Risk: The Politics of the Air'', Thomson, A., Sidgwick and Jackson, London, 1990, p. 249</ref> The route was subsequently operated with [[Airspeed AS 57 Ambassador|Ambassador]]s and extended to [[Glasgow]] on 24 May 1966.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1966/1966%20-%201615.html |title=''A fourth way to Glasgow'', Air Transport, Flight International, 2 June 1966, p. 916 |access-date=16 January 2010 |archive-date=24 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024025205/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1966/1966%20-%201615.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In the following years, all [[piston]]-engined aircraft types were withdrawn and replaced with [[Hawker Siddeley 748]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.airliners.net/photo/Autair/Hawker-Siddeley-HS-748/1239637/L/ |title=Autair Hawker Siddeley HS-748 Srs 2A/225 (photo) |access-date=24 January 2010 |archive-date=4 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604220421/http://www.airliners.net/photo/Autair/Hawker-Siddeley-HS-748/1239637/L/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and Handley Page Herald turboprops. Three [[Handley Page Dart Herald|Herald]]s operated the company's scheduled services, including the main [[London]]—[[Teesside]] route.<ref name="CourtLine_Profile2"/><ref name="Autair_VitalStats_1969">{{Cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1969/1969%20-%200633.html |title=''World Airline Survey'', Flight International, 10 April 1969, p. 561 |access-date=19 January 2010 |archive-date=24 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024052929/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1969/1969%20-%200633.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="subsidy_refusal">{{Cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1969/1969%20-%202552.html |title=''No Subsidy for Autair'', Air Transport, Flight International, 7 August 1969, p. 192 |access-date=16 January 2010 |archive-date=24 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024025403/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1969/1969%20-%202552.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1978/1978%20-%200756.html |title=''British Midland's double anniversary'', Flight International, 6 May 1978, p. 1390 |access-date=2 May 2009 |archive-date=14 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121014034133/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1978/1978%20-%200756.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

1960 saw the formation of Clarksons Tours (later, Clarksons Holidays) with Tom Gullick as [[managing director]]. Over the next few years, Clarksons would become Autair's and its successor Court Line's most important tour operator customer.<ref name="CourtLine_Profile2"/><ref name="Clarksons_History">{{Cite web |url=http://www.clarksons.com/about_us/history/?entryId=862329 |title=''Clarksons — The heart of global shipping'' (Home > About us > History > 1950 > Diversification) |access-date=14 April 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708162152/http://www.clarksons.com/about_us/history/?entryId=862329 |archive-date=8 July 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In April 1965 Court Line<ref name="Aircraft_37" /> bought Autair's entire [[share capital]] for £215,000.<ref name="end_of_the_line"/><ref name="CourtLine_Profile1"/><ref name="Aircraft_37"/><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1965/1965%20-%201137.html |title=''Shipping company buys Autair'', Air Transport ..., Flight International, 22 April 1965, p. 629 |access-date=14 January 2010 |archive-date=6 April 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110406173217/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1965/1965%20-%201137.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1965/1965%20-%202936.html |title=''Autair control clarified'', Air Transport ..., Flight International, 17 June 1965, p. 978 |access-date=17 January 2010 |archive-date=24 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024035912/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1965/1965%20-%202936.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
[[Image:BAC 1-11 416EK G-AWXJ Autair Intnl Ringway 26.07.69 edited-2.jpg|thumb|right|Autair International [[BAC One-Eleven#Early development|BAC One-Eleven 416EK]] G-AWXJ at [[Manchester International Airport|Manchester]] in July 1969.]]
Autair became a [[jet aircraft|jet]] operator in 1968, when three brand-new [[BAC One-Eleven#Early development|BAC One-Eleven 400 series]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1968/1968%20-%200258.html |title=Air Transport ..., Flight International, 22 February 1968, p. 252 (photo including caption) |access-date=6 February 2010 |archive-date=24 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024124411/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1968/1968%20-%200258.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.airliners.net/photo/Autair/BAC-111-416EK-One-Eleven/1252157/L/ |title=Autair BAC One-Eleven 416EK G-AWBL (photo) |access-date=24 January 2010 |archive-date=4 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604220357/http://www.airliners.net/photo/Autair/BAC-111-416EK-One-Eleven/1252157/L/ |url-status=live }}</ref> joined its fleet. The new jets mainly operated IT flights.<ref name="CourtLine_Profile2"/><ref name="Autair_VitalStats_1969"/><ref name="111_orders">''Aeroplane, Commercial continued — Autair International'', Vol. 116, No. 2960, p. 8, Temple Press, London, 10 July 1968</ref><ref name="Autair_jetorders">{{Cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1968/1968%20-%201196.html |title=''More One-Elevens for Autair'', Air Transport, Flight International, 11 July 1968, p. 42 |access-date=17 January 2010 |archive-date=2 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120302232107/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1968/1968%20-%201196.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Autair_jetservices">{{Cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1969/1969%20-%202094.html |title=''£30 million holiday deal'', Air Transport, Flight International, 22 May 1969, p. 815 |access-date=16 January 2010 |archive-date=24 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024025257/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1969/1969%20-%202094.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

1968 was also the year Clarksons' customer base had grown to 175,000 (up from 4,000 in 1964<ref name="Aircraft_38">''Aircraft (Gone but not forgotten ... COURT LINE)'', Vol 43, No 7, p. 38, Ian Allan Publishing, Hersham, July 2010</ref>), many of whom flew to their holiday destination on Autair's new jets.<ref name="price_war_124">''Fly me, I'm Freddie!'', Eglin, R. and Ritchie, B., Weidenfeld and Nicolson, London, 1980, p. 124</ref>

By spring 1969, five [[BAC One-Eleven#Early development|One-Eleven 400]]s (including an example acquired second-hand from [[Channel Airways#The 1960s|Channel Airways]]<ref>''Classic Airliner (The BAC One-Eleven — Britain's bus-stop jet: Service around the world)'', Kelsey Publishing, Cudham, UK, July 2013, p. 71</ref>) operated Autair's IT flights, primarily under contract to [[Clarksons Travel Group|Clarksons Tours]].<ref name="Autair_profile"/><ref name="CourtLine_Profile2"/><ref name="Autair_VitalStats_1969"/><ref name="111_orders"/><ref name="Autair_jetorders"/><ref name="Autair_jetservices"/><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1970/1970%20-%200488.html |title=''Airline Profile: Number Thirty-Nine in the Series — Court Line'', Flight International, 19 March 1970, p. 440 |access-date=16 January 2010 |archive-date=28 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120528170748/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1970/1970%20-%200488.html |url-status=live }}</ref> These carried the bulk of the airline's half-a-million annual charter passengers, which far outnumbered the 66,000 using its scheduled services each year.<ref name="Aircraft_37"/>

From 1 April 1969, the airline's scheduled operation in London was consolidated at [[London Heathrow Airport|Heathrow]], joining Teesside services which had already transferred to London's premier airport from the company's Luton base on 1 November 1967.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1967/1967%20-%201767.html |title=''Autair from Heathrow'', Air Transport ..., Flight International, 7 September 1967, p. 359 |access-date=17 January 2010 |archive-date=24 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024043548/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1967/1967%20-%201767.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1968/1968-1%20-%200215.html |title=''Luton to London'', Flight International, Air Transport ..., 26 December 1968, p. 1052 |access-date=17 January 2010 |archive-date=3 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121003024352/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1968/1968-1%20-%200215.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In summer 1969, Autair announced its decision to withdraw all scheduled services "irrevocably", following an unsuccessful request for government subsidies. By that time, the airline's scheduled network served [[Belfast]], Blackpool, [[Carlisle, Cumbria|Carlisle]], the [[Channel Islands]], [[Dundee]], Glasgow, [[Kingston upon Hull|Hull]], the [[Isle of Man]], London and Teesside in the UK, [[Dublin]] in the [[Republic of Ireland]] and [[Amsterdam]] in the [[Netherlands]]. Scheduled services accounted for 12% of Autair's [[asset turnover|turnover]]. The airline's scheduled operation was estimated to have generated an annual loss of £150,000 (only London—Teesside was said to be profitable).<ref name="CourtLine_Profile1"/><ref name="CourtLine_Profile2"/><ref name="Background"/><ref name="Autair_VitalStats_1969"/><ref name="subsidy_refusal"/><ref name="schedule_suspension">{{Cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1969/1969%20-%203181.html |title=''Autair out, BMA in'', Air Transport ..., Flight International, 13 November 1969, p. 729 |access-date=17 January 2010 |archive-date=24 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024043354/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1969/1969%20-%203181.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 31 October 1969, scheduled services were stopped and all turboprop aircraft sold.<ref name="schedule_suspension"/> This was followed by an order for seven of the larger 119-seat [[BAC One-Eleven#The One-Eleven 500, 510ED and 475|500 series One-Eleven]].<ref name="Aircraft_37"/><ref name="111_orders"/><ref name="Autair_jetservices"/><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1968/1968%20-%202298.html |title=''Autair orders One-Eleven 500s'', World News ..., Flight International, 17 October 1968, p. 596 |access-date=4 February 2010 |archive-date=19 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019000721/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1968/1968%20-%202298.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Clarksons_plight_185_6">''Fly me, I'm Freddie!'', Eglin, R. and Ritchie, B., Weidenfeld and Nicolson, London, 1980, pp. 185/6</ref>

===Court Line Aviation===
[[File:BAC 111-518FG One-Eleven, Court Line AN1809007.jpg|thumb|Court Line BAC 1-11, ''Halcyon Days'', in the yellow/gold/orange scheme]]
[[File:G-AXMI One-Eleven 518 Court Line MAN 02MAY72 (6788784927).jpg|thumb|Court Line BAC 1-11, in the pink/rose/magenta scheme, 
 May 1972)]]
[[File:Court Line BAC 111-518FG.jpg|thumb|Court Line BAC 1-11, ''Halcyon Night'', in light green/mid-green/forest green scheme, September 1973]]
To coincide with the arrival of the first [[BAC One-Eleven#The One-Eleven 500, 510ED and 475|BAC One-Eleven 500]], the airline changed its name on 1 January 1970 to '''Court Line Aviation''' and introduced a new [[corporate identity|corporate look]] and [[corporate strategy|strategy]] that focused exclusively on the then fast-growing [[package holiday]] market.<ref name="Bubble"/><ref name="CourtLine_Profile1"/><ref name="Aircraft_37"/><ref name="Background"/><ref name="name_and_strategy_change">{{Cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1969/1969%20-%202825.html |title=''Autair becomes Court'', Air Transport ..., Flight International, 18 September 1969, p. 445 |access-date=17 January 2010 |archive-date=24 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024040139/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1969/1969%20-%202825.html |url-status=live }}</ref> As the larger [[BAC One-Eleven#The One-Eleven 500, 510ED and 475|One-Eleven 500]]s were delivered, all but one of the smaller, former Autair [[BAC One-Eleven#Early development|400 series One-Eleven]]s were retired.<ref name="CourtLine_Profile2"/><ref name="name_and_strategy_change"/><ref name="CourtLine_Profile3">{{Cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1970/1970%20-%200489.html |title=''Airline Profile: Number Thirty-Nine in the Series — Court Line'', Flight International, 19 March 1970, p. 441 |access-date=16 January 2010 |archive-date=27 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120527074213/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1970/1970%20-%200489.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

The corporate look was an all-over [[aircraft livery|colour design]] by Peter Murdoch. In keeping with the holiday "feel-good factor", [[BAC One-Eleven|One-Eleven]]s were painted in the following distinctive, eye-catching [[pastel colour|pastel colour combinations]]: yellow/gold/orange,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.airliners.net/photo/Court-Line/BAC-111-518FG-One-Eleven/1293781/L/ |title=Court Line BAC One-Eleven 518FG G-AYOR (photo) |access-date=23 January 2010 |archive-date=4 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604220106/http://www.airliners.net/photo/Court-Line/BAC-111-518FG-One-Eleven/1293781/L/ |url-status=live }}</ref> pink/rose/magenta,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.airliners.net/photo/Court-Line/BAC-111-518FG-One-Eleven/0183339/L/ |title=Court Line BAC One-Eleven 518FG G-AXMF (photo) |access-date=23 January 2010 |archive-date=4 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604220112/http://www.airliners.net/photo/Court-Line/BAC-111-518FG-One-Eleven/0183339/L/ |url-status=live }}</ref> pale violet/mauve/purple,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.diecastairplane.com/shared/images/Aviation200/AV2111010.jpg |title=Court Line BAC One-Eleven 518FG G-AZEC (Diecast Airplane Colour Scheme) |access-date=23 January 2010 |archive-date=10 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710123532/http://www.diecastairplane.com/shared/images/Aviation200/AV2111010.jpg |url-status=live }}</ref> light green/mid-green/forest green.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.airliners.net/photo/Court-Line/BAC-111-518FG-One-Eleven/1292589/L/ |title=Court Line BAC One-Eleven 518FG G-AXMJ (photo) |access-date=25 January 2010 |archive-date=4 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604220439/http://www.airliners.net/photo/Court-Line/BAC-111-518FG-One-Eleven/1292589/L/ |url-status=live }}</ref> As with the tankers in the shipping fleet, the aircraft were named ''Halcyon Breeze, Halcyon Skies, Halcyon Days'', etcetera. [[Flight crew|Aircrew]] wore trendy uniforms designed by [[Mary Quant]]. This was part of making passengers feel that the flight was a "fun part" of their holiday.<ref name="end_of_the_line"/><ref name="CourtLine_Profile1"/><ref name="Aircraft_37"/><ref name="name_and_strategy_change"/><ref name="L1011_introduction_540">{{Cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1973/1973%20-%200900.html |title=''Halcyon days for Court'', Air Transport, Flight International, 5 April 1973, p. 540 |access-date=18 January 2010 |archive-date=24 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024044233/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1973/1973%20-%200900.html |url-status=live }}</ref> For many, it would be their first flying experience.

Other airlines and tour operators were quick to jump on the burgeoning package holiday bandwagon. This resulted in increasingly fierce competition between operators and led to a price warfare to fill planes and hotels. Under [[Tom Gullick]]'s management, Shipping Industrial Holdings' subsidiary Clarksons Holidays became the undisputed cut-price leader in the IT market. By 1973, Clarksons carried 1.1 million holidaymakers—almost 1968's whole industry total—and contracted over 70% of Court Line's charter capacity. Its meteoric rise was entirely volume-based. It generated the required volumes by ruthlessly undercutting rivals and outbidding them to win the race for securing accommodation in popular overseas holiday resorts, especially in Spain.<ref name="CourtLine_Profile2"/><ref name="Aircraft_37"/><ref name="price_war_124"/><ref>''High Risk: The Politics of the Air'', Thomson, A., Sidgwick and Jackson, London, 1990, pp. 249, 295, 299</ref> Thus, in the early 1970s, a holiday in [[Majorca]] or on the [[Costa del Sol]] became affordable for the average person for the first time.<ref name="end_of_the_line"/>

Court Line and Clarksons Holidays were also a UK pioneer of the "time charter" concept, whereby the airline entered into a long-term relationship with the tour operator. "Time charter" was modelled on similar long-term arrangements between ship owners and [[chartering (shipping)|charterer]]s in the [[oil tanker]] business. It resulted in greater economic security for the charter airline industry and enabled it to acquire new aircraft on more favourable terms.<ref name="Aircraft_37"/>

===="Seat-back" catering====
Court Line invented "seat-back" catering, a new concept that permitted a reduction in the amount of [[galley (kitchen)|galley]] space inside its aircraft's cabins. The extra space obtained was equivalent to three seats on the One-Eleven 400. This enabled it to increase [[airline seat|seating densities]] and reduce individual seat rates to allow tour operators to hold on to their market shares in a price-sensitive environment.<ref name="CourtLine_Profile2"/><ref>''High Risk: The Politics of the Air'', Thomson, A., Sidgwick and Jackson, London, 1990, pp. 248/9</ref><ref name="Aircraft_37_8">''Aircraft (Gone but not forgotten ... COURT LINE)'', Vol 43, No 7, pp. 37/8, Ian Allan Publishing, Hersham, July 2010</ref>

The concept itself consisted of pre-packed meals or snacks – usually, [[Spam (food)|Spam]] salads out and sandwiches back<ref>''It was nice to fly with friends! The story of Air Europe.'', Simons, G.A., GMS Enterprises, Peterborough, 1999, pp. 21/2</ref> — loaded into a small, two-shelf compartment in the seat back in front of each passenger. The meal/snack for the outbound journey could be found in the top compartment, the one for the return trip in the lower section. The latter contained a pellet of dry ice placed under the plastic food container, thus preventing the food from spoiling. For the airline's [[flight attendant|cabin staff]], it eliminated handling trays while airborne and resulted in a reduction of their workload. To prevent outbound passengers from consuming meals intended for return passengers, locks needed to be installed on the lower compartment that could only be opened by cabin staff during the aircraft's turnaround at the destination airport (although these were not always effective at deterring determined passengers).<ref name="CourtLine_Profile3"/><ref name="Aircraft_37_8"/><ref>''High Risk: The Politics of the Air'', Thomson, A., Sidgwick and Jackson, London, 1990, pp. 247/8</ref><ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/travel-pioneering-airlines-set-standards-that-todays-carriers--could-only-exceed-1090730.html Travel: Pioneering airlines set standards that today's carriers could only exceed] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925014455/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/travel-pioneering-airlines-set-standards-that-todays-carriers--could-only-exceed-1090730.html |date=25 September 2015 }} The Independent, published 1995-05-01, accessed 2011-03-06</ref>

In addition to Court Line/Clarksons, [[GUS (retailer)|Great Universal Stores]] (GUS) subsidiary Global was a major proponent of "seat-back" catering among the UK's leading contemporary tour operators. It demanded that package holiday costs be driven down to the bare minimum by replacing the traditional meal service on holiday charter flights with something much cheaper that would simply give passengers "a slice of pie". Industry insiders referred to Global's new inflight catering concept as ''Global Pie''. The cost advantage industry leaders such as Court Line/Clarksons and Global gained over their rivals as a result of their onboard catering innovation eventually forced every other major UK charter airline to adopt "seat-back" catering on most flights serving short- and medium-haul IT destinations.<ref>''High Risk: The Politics of the Air'', Thomson, A., Sidgwick and Jackson, London, 1990, p. 247</ref>

====Widebody era====
In 1973, Court Line took delivery of a pair of [[Lockheed L-1011 TriStar]]s<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.airliners.net/photo/Court-Line/Lockheed-L-1011-385-1-TriStar/0689282/L/ |title=Court Line Lockheed L-1011-385-1 TriStar 1 G-BAAA (photo) |access-date=23 January 2010 |archive-date=4 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110604220129/http://www.airliners.net/photo/Court-Line/Lockheed-L-1011-385-1-TriStar/0689282/L/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.airliners.net/photo/Court-Line/Lockheed-L-1011-385-1-TriStar/1233722/L/ |title=Court Line Lockheed L-1011-385-1 TriStar 1 G-BAAB (photo) |access-date=23 January 2010 |archive-date=24 November 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091124123944/http://www.airliners.net/photo/Court-Line/Lockheed-L-1011-385-1-TriStar/1233722/L/ |url-status=live }}</ref> and became the first [[Europe]]an airline to operate the [[Lockheed Corporation|Lockheed]] [[wide-body aircraft|widebody]].<ref name="Bubble"/><ref name="WorldAirlines_1973"/><ref name="L1011_introduction_540"/><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1971/1971%20-%202319.html |title=''TriStar foot in Europe's door'', Air Transport ..., Flight International, 4 November 1971, p. 719 |access-date=7 August 2009 |archive-date=19 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019204323/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1971/1971%20-%202319.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1972/1972%20-%202158.html |title=''Court signs up'', Air Transport, Flight International, 24 August 1972, p. 267 |access-date=10 December 2009 |archive-date=24 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224092818/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1972/1972%20-%202158.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="L1011_introduction_539">{{Cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1973/1973%20-%200899.html |title=''Halcyon days for Court'', Air Transport, Flight International, 5 April 1973, p. 539 |access-date=18 January 2010 |archive-date=24 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024044322/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1973/1973%20-%200899.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="L1011_introduction_545">{{Cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1973/1973%20-%200909.html |title=''Halcyon days for Court'', Air Transport, Flight International, 5 April 1973, p. 545 |access-date=18 January 2010 |archive-date=24 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024044412/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1973/1973%20-%200909.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The aircraft were acquired on long-term [[aircraft lease|lease]] from Airlease International, a consortium of eleven British banks and financial institutions. They were uniquely customised for Court with double-width doors to speed up passenger evacuation and featured integral passenger stairs and baggage conveyors to facilitate operations at smaller airports.<ref name="Aircraft_38"/> The introduction of these brand-new widebodies was a big gamble for a small airline operating in a seasonal market with tight margins as the new jets had four times the One-Eleven's passenger capacity (476 vs 119).

Court took the view with Clarksons that the market would grow and that such large aircraft could be operated profitably. In addition, Clarksons was looking to expand further into cruise holidays and new markets in the [[United States|US]] and the [[Caribbean]].<ref name="end_of_the_line"/><ref name="L1011_introduction_540"/><ref name="L1011_introduction_539"/> This, at the time, was wholly new territory for the UK package tour market.

The acquisition of '''[[Leeward Islands Air Transport]]''' ([[LIAT]]), a regional airline based in the Caribbean, in 1972 was part of Court's long-haul expansion strategy.<ref name="Aircraft_39">''Aircraft (Gone but not forgotten ... COURT LINE)'', Vol 43, No 7, p. 39, Ian Allan Publishing, Hersham, July 2010</ref> Court Line provided LIAT with BAC One-Eleven series 500 aircraft for scheduled passenger services in the Caribbean. The BAC One-Eleven was the only jet aircraft type ever operated by LIAT.

The introduction of the TriStar led to an increase in maintenance personnel and the modification of an existing hangar at the airline's Luton base to accommodate the new widebody. It also resulted in the purchase of a former [[Royal Air Force]] [[Blackburn Beverley]] cargo transporter from the [[Royal Aircraft Establishment]] to airlift [[Rolls-Royce RB211]] replacement engines and/or other essential spares in case the planes developed a serious technical fault at an overseas station that prevented them from returning to Luton (although in fact the Beverley was never civil registered and so was never used).<ref name="L1011_introduction_540"/><ref name="L1011_introduction_539"/><ref name="L1011_introduction_545"/>

The airline's total investment in widebodied equipment amounted to [[United States dollar|US$]]55 million.<ref name="Aircraft_38"/>

====Hard times====
[[File:Court Line Lockheed TriStar Manteufel.jpg|thumb|right|Court Line [[Lockheed L-1011 TriStar#L-1011-1|Lockheed TriStar]] 
 ''Halcyon&nbsp;Breeze'', June 1973]]
As early as 1971, Clarksons lost as much as £2.6 million despite increasing its turnover by £9 million to £31 million. Industry sources estimated that this equated to a loss of £4 per head.<ref>''Fly me, I'm Freddie!'', Eglin, R. and Ritchie, B., Weidenfeld and Nicolson, London, 1980, p. 183</ref>

In 1972, Clarksons's loss grew to £4.8 million. This was almost 2½ times as much as the combined loss of [[Thomson Holidays]] (£1.6 million) and [[Horizon Travel|Horizon Holidays]] (£388,000), its closest rivals.<ref>''Fly me, I'm Freddie!'', Eglin, R. and Ritchie, B., Weidenfeld and Nicolson, London, 1980, p. 182</ref>

By 1973, Clarksons carried over a million passengers and accounted for 40% of Court Line's turnover.<ref name="Aircraft_38"/>

During the 1973–74 winter season, Clarksons's plight worsened. At the time, the UK was in the grip of a [[1973–75 recession|recession]], as a result of the early 1970s [[1973 oil crisis|energy crisis]] caused by the [[Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries]]' oil boycott of the West in the aftermath of the 1973 [[Yom Kippur War|Arab–Israeli War]]. This was a punitive measure directed against these countries for their support of [[Israel]] during that war. It led to a drastic reduction in the availability of petroleum products – including [[jet fuel]]. This in turn resulted in a tripling of the oil price in October 1973 and a subsequent quadrupling.<ref>''Fly me, I'm Freddie!'', Eglin, R. and Ritchie, B., Weidenfeld and Nicolson, London, 1980, pp. 183, 185</ref>

1974 became known as the worst year for the UK package tour industry. At the beginning of the year, [[United Kingdom|Britain]] plunged into the [[Three-Day Week|three-day working week]], as a consequence of the miners' strike that had been called to topple the [[Edward Heath#Prime Minister|Heath Government]]. This immediately reduced package holiday bookings by 30%. Clarksons, Court Line's main customer and in-house tour operator since April 1973, was facing mounting financial pressure, and [[Vladimir Raitz]]'s Horizon Holidays, another of the airline's major customers, collapsed during that time. Following Court Line's takeover of Clarksons the previous year for a nominal £1 (excluding a £3.4 million "subsidy" from the airline's [[holding company#Parent company|parent company]] to cover the tour operator's projected 1973 loss), it purchased the [[Horizon Travel|Horizon]] group's [[goodwill (accounting)|goodwill]] for £600,000—including the acquisition of 58% of Horizon Midlands for £400,000—from the [[Business administration|administrator]]. The deal, which became effective in February 1974, was based on payment of £1 for each Horizon customer Court Line expected to carry over the following three years. The airline's decision to purchase Clarksons as well as Horizon was intended to protect its business. In reality, these deals did little to help improve Court Line's increasingly bleak prospects.

As soon as Court Line began diverting Horizon customers onto its planes, [[British Caledonian in the 1970s#1974 crisis year|British Caledonian]] (BCal) threatened having Horizon compulsorily wound up if Court Line did not agree to settle Horizon's outstanding debts of over £100,000. BCal's threat forced Court Line to sub-charter a fully crewed BCal One-Eleven jet for Horizon's flying programme and to provide it with additional business. In addition to BCal forcing Court Line to compensate it for the loss of Horizon's business, Thomas Cook's money-back guarantee – a scheme widely copied by other rival tour operators – further reduced the number of Horizon holidaymakers travelling on Court Line's jets. As a result, Court Line carried far fewer Horizon customers than it had anticipated.<ref name="Bubble"/><ref name="Clarksons_History"/><ref name="Clarksons_plight_185_6"/><ref name="Clarksons_takeover">{{Cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1973/1973%20-%201132.html |title=''Clarksons bought by Court Line'', Air Transport, Flight International, 3 May 1973, p. 664 |access-date=18 January 2010 |archive-date=19 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019071717/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1973/1973%20-%201132.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1974/1974%20-%200178.html |title=''Court Line bids for Horizon'', World News, Flight International, 7 February 1974, p. 158 |access-date=18 January 2010 |archive-date=23 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023205732/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1974/1974%20-%200178.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>''High Risk: The Politics of the Air'', Thomson, A., Sidgwick and Jackson, London, 1990, pp. 294/5</ref><ref>''Aircraft (Gone but not forgotten ... COURT LINE)'', Vol 43, No 7, pp. 38/9, Ian Allan Publishing, Hersham, July 2010</ref> Clarksons's financial position further deteriorated. In a desperate attempt to fill the group's planes and hotel rooms so that it could stay afloat, Clarksons continued selling holiday packages below cost, with a fortnight all-inclusive holiday to Majorca selling for as little as £50.<ref name="end_of_the_line"/><ref name="Bubble"/><ref name="Clarksons_takeover"/><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1974/1974%20-%201594.html |title=''World's charter airlines'', Flight International, 10 October 1974, p. 460 |access-date=2 May 2009 |archive-date=24 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024044500/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1974/1974%20-%201594.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Collapse"/>

====Bankruptcy====
A deal between the Court Line group and the [[Harold Wilson#Second period as prime minister (1974–1976)|Wilson Government]] to sell the former's shipyards at Appledore and Sunderland to the latter for £60 million turned out to be "too little too late" to stave off the company's impending collapse.<ref>''Aircraft (Gone but not forgotten ... COURT LINE)'', Vol 43, No 7, pp. 37, 39, Ian Allan Publishing, Hersham, July 2010</ref>

On 15 August 1974, Court Line went bankrupt, with all flights cancelled, its fleet comprising two TriStars and nine One-Eleven 500s grounded, all 1,150 staff losing their jobs and as many as 49,000 holidaymakers stranded overseas with no means of getting home. To enable stranded holidaymakers to return to the UK at no additional cost to them, the collapsed group's rivals organised an airlift through the Tour Operators' Study Group (TOSG), the package holiday industry association.<ref name="Bubble"/><ref name="WorldAirlines_1974"/><ref name="Collapse">''High Risk: The Politics of the Air'', Thomson, A., Sidgwick and Jackson, London, 1990, pp. 299</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1974/1974%20-%201209.html |title=''Bringing them back home'', World News, Flight International, 22 August 1974, p. 197 |access-date=6 August 2009 |archive-date=19 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019182734/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1974/1974%20-%201209.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>''Aircraft (Gone but not forgotten ... COURT LINE)'', Vol 43, No 7, pp. 39, 40, Ian Allan Publishing, Hersham, July 2010</ref> This operation was paid for using the £3.5m bond the failed group's tour operators had deposited with TOSG.<ref>''Aircraft (Gone but not forgotten ... COURT LINE)'', Vol 43, No 7, p. 40, Ian Allan Publishing, Hersham, July 2010</ref>

The [[Association of British Travel Agents]] (ABTA) set up a fund to provide an insurance against such an event in the future. This was a compulsory [[Air Travel Organisers' Licensing|bonding scheme]] for travel companies that transported their customers by air. It was administered by TOSG.<ref name="Collapse"/>

On 16 August 1974, all of the group's UK-based subsidiaries went into [[voluntary liquidation]]. This included Court Line Aviation and Clarksons Holidays.<ref name="CourtLine_VitalStats">{{Cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1975/1975%20-%200547.html |title=''World Airline Directory'', Flight International, 20 March 1975, p. 483 |access-date=19 January 2010 |archive-date=24 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024053442/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1975/1975%20-%200547.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Leeward Islands Air Transport]] ([[LIAT]]) in the Caribbean as well as [[South Africa]]-based Court Line Helicopters were among Court Line's overseas subsidiaries. Both survived the UK parent company's collapse.<ref name="Bubble"/><ref name="L1011_introduction_540"/><ref name="L1011_introduction_539"/><ref name="CourtLine_VitalStats"/> LIAT subsequently withdrew the BAC One-Eleven series 500 aircraft from its fleet which had been provided by Court Line.

The Court Line Coaches subsidiary, although itself solvent and having most of its work from sources other than Court Line Aviation, was wound up shortly afterwards. ''[[Commercial Motor]]'' of 23 August 1974 noted that ''"Court Line's coach fleet continues operations 'for the present'. A go ahead to stay in operation has been given to Court Line Coaches Ltd by Mr Rupert Nicholson, who has been appointed to wind up the Court Line holiday giant which collapsed last week. Court Line Coaches has a fleet of 59 coaches and its managing director Mr Ron Keech told CM on Tuesday that the company has been told it could continue trading. He had however, "no idea" what might happen in a few months' time."''

====Factors behind collapse====
In addition to the early-'70s [[1973 oil crisis|oil crisis]] and the [[Three-Day Week|three-day week]], there were other factors that had caused the collapse of the group of companies that included Court Line and Clarksons.

One of these factors was the parent company's precariously highly [[leverage (finance)|geared]] investment in the shipping and leisure industry sectors.

According to some insider reports at the time, Court Line Aviation was a viable business. However, a proposed [[management buyout]] was rejected as its [[liquidation value]] was needed to pay off the parent company's debts.

The [[Department of Trade and Industry (United Kingdom)|Department of Trade and Industry]] final report into the Court Line collapse concludes:

<blockquote>"The short answer is that there was no single reason for the collapse, which was caused by a number of contributory factors. Court Line expanded rapidly in many directions, some of which were both logical and justifiable, others not. The overall management was throughout inadequate and it was in any event never supported by the necessary financial control. This meant that as Court Line expanded, it became progressively vulnerable to any substantial setback in any of its areas of activities. When a serious setback occurred, triggered off by the oil crisis of autumn 1973, it immediately affected the shipping, aviation, and leisure divisions. The group was so highly geared, so structured and having such inadequate financial control, that it might well have been brought down by a substantial reverse in any of its major activities. As it was the cumulative effect on all three divisions, when all the cash resources which would otherwise have been available had been invested unprofitably in the Caribbean, meant that the position progressively deteriorated and rendered the collapse in August 1974 unavoidable."</blockquote><ref name="end_of_the_line"/><ref>''Court Line Limited (Final Report)'', Department of Trade, HMSO, London, 1978</ref>

====Disposal of airline's assets====
[[File:Dan-Air London BAC 1-11 G-BDAT.jpg|thumb|G-BDAT (G-AYOR when in service with Court) was one of four [[BAC One-Eleven#The One-Eleven 500, 510ED and 475|BAC One-Eleven 500]]s [[Dan-Air]] acquired in 1974 following Court Line's bankruptcy. The aircraft is seen here in Dan-Air's contemporary livery at [[Galileo Galilei Airport|Pisa Airport]] in 1975.]]
Following the spectacular crash of Court Line and Clarksons at the height of the 1974 holiday season, the failed carrier's fairly new aircraft were acquired by other airlines. [[Cathay Pacific Airways|Cathay Pacific]] took the two L-1011 TriStar widebodies while [[Dan-Air]] and [[Monarch Airlines]] respectively purchased four and two of the One-Eleven 500 [[narrow-body aircraft|narrowbodies]]. These aircraft needed to be re-registered to avoid having them impounded by overseas airport authorities in lieu of the airport user charges Court Line owed them.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1975/1975%20-%200129.html |title=''Airliner Market'', Air Transport, Flight International, 23 January 1975, p. 89 |access-date=6 August 2009 |archive-date=19 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019203535/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1975/1975%20-%200129.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1975/1975%20-%200451.html |title=''Airliner Market'', Air Transport, Flight International, 13 March 1975, p. 391 |access-date=6 August 2009 |archive-date=19 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019203447/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1975/1975%20-%200451.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1975/1975%20-%202311.html |title=''BAC One-Eleven'', Commercial Aircraft of the World, Flight International, 23 October 1975, p. 625 |access-date=6 August 2009 |archive-date=19 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019203343/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1975/1975%20-%202311.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>''The Spirit of Dan-Air'', Simons, G.M., GMS Enterprises, Peterborough, 1993, pp88/9</ref>

===Fixed-wing aircraft operated===

====Autair====
* [[Airspeed Ambassador]]
* [[BAC One-Eleven#Early development|BAC One-Eleven 400]]
* [[Douglas DC-3]]
* [[Douglas DC-4]]
* [[Handley Page Dart Herald]]
* [[Avro 748|Hawker Siddeley HS 748]]
* [[Vickers VC.1 Viking|Vickers Viking]]

====Court Line====
* [[BAC One-Eleven#Early development|BAC One-Eleven 400]]/[[BAC One-Eleven#The One-Eleven 500, 510ED and 475|500]]
* [[Lockheed L-1011 TriStar]] 1

===Fleet and employee data===

====1970====
{| class="toccolours" border="1" cellpadding="3" style="border-collapse:collapse"
|+ '''Court Line fleet in 1970'''<ref name="WorldAirlines_1970">{{Cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1970/1970%20-%200529.html |title=''World Airlines 1970'', Flight International, 26 March 1970, p. 479 |access-date=5 January 2009 |archive-date=1 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150201205701/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1970/1970%20-%200529.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
|- bgcolor=lightblue
!Aircraft
!Number
|-
|[[BAC One-Eleven#The One-Eleven 500, 510ED and 475|BAC One-Eleven 500]]
|7
|-
|[[BAC One-Eleven#Early development|BAC One-Eleven 400]]
|1
|-
|Total
|8
|}

Court Line employed 670 people at that time (as of March 1970).<ref name="WorldAirlines_1970"/>

====1974====
{| class="toccolours" border="1" cellpadding="3" style="border-collapse:collapse"
|+ '''Court Line fleet in 1974'''<ref name="WorldAirlines_1974"/>
|- bgcolor=lightblue
!Aircraft
!Number
|-
|[[Lockheed L-1011#L-1011-1|Lockheed L-1011 TriStar 1]]
|2
|-
|[[BAC One-Eleven#The One-Eleven 500, 510ED and 475|BAC One-Eleven 500]]
|9
|-
|Total
|11
|}

Court Line employed 1,150 people at that time (as of March 1974).<ref name="WorldAirlines_1974"/>

==See also==
* [[List of defunct airlines of the United Kingdom]]

==Accidents and incidents==
Autair suffered two accidents, one of which involved the loss of lives.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://asn.flightsafety.org/database/operators/6427 |title=ASN Aviation Safety Database — Autair International Airways |access-date=2 May 2009 |archive-date=28 September 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060928063419/http://www.aviation-safety.net/database/operator/airline.php?var=6427 |url-status=live }}</ref>

* The first of these occurred on 14 September 1967. One of the airline's Ambassadors (registration: G-ALZS<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://aviation-safety.net/photos/displayphoto.php?id=19670914-0&vnr=1&kind=PC |title=Autair Airspeed AS-57 Ambassador 2 G-ALZS (pre-accident photo) |access-date=2 May 2009 |archive-date=14 February 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060214125030/http://aviation-safety.net/photos/displayphoto.php?id=19670914-0&vnr=1&kind=PC |url-status=dead }}</ref>) [[overshoot (aviation)|overran]] the [[runway]] at Luton Airport at the end of a non-scheduled passenger flight from [[Luxembourg-Findel International Airport|Luxembourg]]. The aircraft had [[final approach (aviation)|approached]] Luton in darkness. [[Visibility]] was {{convert|5900|ft|abbr=on}} and the [[cloud base]] {{convert|300|ft|abbr=on}}. Following [[touchdown]], the [[pilot in command]] retracted the aircraft's [[flap (aircraft)|flaps]] in the [[takeoff]] position and applied brakes intermittently. The aircraft [[overshoot (aviation)|overran]] the runway and came to a stop in soft [[clay]]. This caused the [[Landing gear|undercarriage]] to collapse. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair and had to be [[write off|written off]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://aviation-safety.net/photos/displayphoto.php?id=19670914-0&vnr=1&kind=C |title=Autair Airspeed AS-57 Ambassador 2 G-ALZS (post-accident photo) |access-date=2 May 2009 |archive-date=25 February 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060225122224/http://aviation-safety.net/photos/displayphoto.php?id=19670914-0&vnr=1&kind=C |url-status=dead }}</ref> However, there were no fatalities among the 69 occupants (four crew and 65 passengers).<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://asn.flightsafety.org/asndb/332040 |title=ASN Aircraft accident description Airspeed AS.57 Ambassador 2 G-ALZS — London Luton Airport (LTN) |access-date=2 May 2009 |archive-date=11 February 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060211112353/http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19670914-0 |url-status=live }}</ref>
* The second took place on 23 December 1967. A [[British Aerospace 125|Hawker Siddeley HS 125]] (registration: G-AVGW, owned by [[Beecham Group|The Beecham Group]] and operated by Autair International) crashed shortly after taking off from Luton Airport, killing both [[aviator|pilots]]. The aircraft had been on a [[flight training|training flight]] and the crash occurred when the crew simulated an [[engine failure]] on takeoff. The HS 125 lost height rapidly and hit the roof of a nearby factory, resulting in a post-crash fire.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://asn.flightsafety.org/asndb/331971 |title=ASN Aircraft accident description Hawker Siddeley HS.125-3B G-AVGW — London Luton Airport (LTN) |access-date=2 May 2009 |archive-date=24 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024062303/http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19671223-1 |url-status=live }}</ref>
* On 18 April 1974, [[BAC One-Eleven]] G-AXMJ was [[Court Line Flight 95|involved in a ground collision]] with [[Piper Aztec|Piper PA-23 Aztec]] G-AYDE during take-off from Luton Airport, [[Bedfordshire]]. The Aztec had entered the active runway without permission. The pilot of the Aztec was killed and his passenger was injured. The One-Eleven aborted its take-off and an emergency evacuation was performed with all 93 people on board escaping uninjured. The Aztec was written off and the substantially damaged One-Eleven was repaired and returned to service.<ref name=ASN180475>{{cite web |url=https://asn.flightsafety.org/asndb/329919 |title=G-AXMJ Accident description |website=Aviation Safety Network |access-date=23 March 2011 |archive-date=24 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024053533/http://aviation-safety.net/database/record.php?id=19740418-0 |url-status=live }}</ref>
* A Court Line BAC One-Eleven leased to [[Cyprus Airways]] was stranded in 1974 at [[Nicosia Airport]] following the Turkish invasion of Cyprus. It was retrieved by [[British Airways]] engineers in 1977, but was immediately impounded on its arrival in Britain by Court Line's insurers to help pay off the debts the now defunct company owed. The aircraft was returned to Cyprus Airways in 1978 and remained in service until 1985.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.bac1-11jet.co.uk/ |title=Home of the BAC 1-11 on the Web > Enter > Country guide to operators > Rest of Europe — Cyprus: <u>Cyprus Airways, Ltd. (CY)</u> |access-date=30 March 2011 |archive-date=12 May 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080512000144/http://www.bac1-11jet.co.uk/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Citations==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
* {{cite book |last=Simons |first=Graham M |year=1997 |title=Colours in the Sky: The Story of Autair International Airways and Court Line Aviation |publisher=GMS Enterprises |place=Peterborough |isbn=1-870384-55-5}}
* {{cite book |last=Merton Jones |first=AC |year=1976 |title=British Independent Airlines since 1946 |publisher=Merseyside Aviation Society and LAAS International |place= |isbn=0-902420-08-9 |url-access=registration |url= https://archive.org/details/britishindepende0001mert}}
* {{cite journal |title=Flight International |journal=Flight International |publisher=Reed Business Information |place=Sutton |issn= 0015-3710}} (various backdated issues relating to Autair/Court Line, 1960–1974)
* {{cite book |last1=Eglin |first1=Roger |last2=Ritchie |first2=Berry |year=1980 |title=Fly me, I'm Freddie |publisher=Weidenfeld and Nicolson |place=London |isbn=0-297-77746-7}}
* {{cite book |last=Thomson |first=Adam |title=High Risk: The Politics of the Air |publisher=Sidgwick and Jackson |place=London |year=1999 |isbn=0-283-99599-8}}

==Further reading==
* {{Cite journal |title=Jets Monthly (Airline History — Courting DISASTER) |pages=48–52 |date=June 2011 |publisher=Kelsey Publishing Group |place=Cudham}} ([http://www.kelsey.co.uk ''Kelsey Publishing Group'' online])

==External links==
{{Commons category|Court Line}}
* [http://www.bac1-11jet.co.uk/ Home of the BAC 1-11 on the Web > Enter > Country guide to operators > United Kingdom: <u>Court Line Aviation, Ltd. (OU)</u>]
* [http://www.bac1-11jet.co.uk/ Home of the BAC 1-11 on the Web > Enter > Model Number and Customer Code]
* [https://en-gb.facebook.com/groups/2422279711127245/ Court Line Aviation Staff & Fans Facebook Group]

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[[Category:Court Line| ]]
[[Category:Defunct airlines of the United Kingdom]]
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[[Category:Travel and holiday companies of the United Kingdom]]
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