| This is tricky. Anyone who
wants to run an airline in Britain needs an
air operators' licence. A four-page application
form is available on the Civil Aviation Authority's
website, with basic questions about routes,
planes, directors' names and ownership.
But if the government doesn't like the
look of you, it can make life difficult.
The rules say that any airline must prove
that it is "financially viable",
with enough money to avoid leaving passengers
stranded. The CAA declined to elaborate
on the precise nature of "viability",
which means it can set the hurdle where
it likes.
EasyJet hit on an innovative solution -
it "borrowed" a licence from a
Luton charter firm, Air Foyle. In its early
days, EasyJet was a virtual airline - its
flights were on Air Foyle planes, captained
by Air Foyle pilots. The only distinctive
feature was EasyJet's phone number, painted
in bright orange letters along the side.
It was some time before founder Stelios
Haji-Ioannou got round to obtaining a full
operating licence himself.
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