What Flying Was Like in the 60s

[AfricaHunting.com]

A look back...

 

[gizmo]

Wow that's back when airlines prided themselves on service. My have things changed. Now you pay thousands of dollars to get packed in Like cattle and treated like crap for you entire experience. Modern air travel, the only industry where clients pay over inflated rates to get treated like a 2nd class citizen.

 

[Wheels]

Interesting video that brought back some memories:

-TWA had curtains on NYC to London.
-Captain always came over the loudspeaker to point out landmarks to a certain side of the cabin.
-Landmarks like Big Ben, Eifel Tower, Empire State Building were pointed out and the captain would bank the plane so people on that side could see it well.
-TWA and Pan-Am gave out bags to kids to carry all the free giveaways that the airlines gave to kids back then. (I was a kid. Still am.)
-Friends would go to the airport to see you off and welcome you home as it was a big deal to go on an oceanic flight.
-Airports had observation decks so friends could see you leave and come back.
-Friends could meet you on the tarmac, or even board the plane prior to departure, to bring you something you may have forgot or a present.
-Men wore suits and women wore dresses. Kids had to dress up too.
-Don't remember lobster being served.

 

[Pheroze]

Does anyone remember how we would all applaud when the plane landed? The back section was for smoking? Now, I expect a safe landing as a part of my fee, I ain't gonna applaud what I paid for lol. And, they don't let enough fresh air in the plane to allow smoking!

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Interesting video that brought back some memories:

-TWA had curtains on NYC to London.
-Captain always came over the loudspeaker to point out landmarks to a certain side of the cabin.
-Landmarks like Big Ben, Eifel Tower, Empire State Building were pointed out and the captain would bank the plane so people on that side could see it well.
-TWA and Pan-Am gave out bags to kids to carry all the free giveaways that the airlines gave to kids back then. (I was a kid. Still am.)
-Friends would go to the airport to see you off and welcome you home as it was a big deal to go on an oceanic flight.
-Airports had observation decks so friends could see you leave and come back.
-Friends could meet you on the tarmac, or even board the plane prior to departure, to bring you something you may have forgot or a present.
-Men wore suits and women wore dresses. Kids had to dress up too.
-Don't remember lobster being served.

TWA? ...... Pan-Am? What is this of which you speak?

 

[CAustin]

I do remember the smoking in the rear of the plane. When you bought your ticket you could give your preference as to where to sit! My first time flying I actually wore a suite!

 

[Wheels]

TWA? ...... Pan-Am? What is this of which you speak?

AKA - Quagga and Tasmanian Tiger.

 

[Brent in Az]

I bet they didn't ,nickle and dime, you to death with extra fee's back then.

 

[sestoppelman]

I do remember the smoking in the rear of the plane. When you bought your ticket you could give your preference as to where to sit! My first time flying I actually wore a suite!

You wore the whole room? LOL!

 

[sestoppelman]

I flew back and forth to Alaska a couple times in the late 60's.. We lived in Sitka for a year, came down to Seattle for Xmas break, flew back and couldn't land in Sitka for all the snow, went to Juneau, Cordova, Yakutat, then on to Anchorage, stayed in a hotel overnight there, back to Sitka the next day when the weather broke. All on their nickel. Not too may Alaskans wear suits, or "suites".

 

[CAustin]

You wore the whole room? LOL!

Damn auto spell.

 

[lcq]

I remember when there was no security (are we any safer today?), smoking was allowed and they actually poured you a generous shot from a bottle in a real glass. The golden years of airtravel

 

[Royal27]

You wore the whole room? LOL!

Who knew that Charlie flying business class now was actually a down grade for him??? The economy is really tough I guess...

 

[Art Lambart II]

Those where the days, Southwest only flew in Texas and had the slogan "Best legs in the Air", a size 6 stewardess was considered fat and you could store your long guns in the first class coat closet. Some times the old ways are better.

 

[Wheels]

I remember when there was no security (are we any safer today?),

Friends of my father flew from Texas to Tanzania with a pistol and bullets in his carryon in the 60's. I remember discussions if this was wise or if it might be confiscated. I think he returned with it in his checked luggage, but he may have kept it in his carryon.

D.B. Cooper messed up a good thing.

 

[CAustin]

Who knew that Charlie flying business class now was actually a down grade for him??? The economy is really tough I guess...

Yep Royal I was a little miffed yesterday when I didn't get my usual upgrade to first class from Atlanta to Kansas City. So I took my seat with the other folks in the back of the plane. As the cabin door was being closed a flight attendant came to get me and apologized for the mistake......your seat is number 2A sir. But I was just in jeans and a polo shirt.......no suit. Nor was I wearing the suite I left in Miami. No fine meal served but the bourbon was good.

 

[Ray B]

In 1970s flew from Fairbanks to Portland(OR) following an extended trip down the Yukon River and various spots along the way. It was before DB Cooper and all this other nonsense. I carried a .308 M700 Remington, uncased onto the plane and put it in the overhead. In my carryon, among other things were a few dozen remaining rounds of ammo. No one gave it a second glance. By that point I resembled Grizzly Adams, so I guess it might have been a little intimidating- but still, people had manners in those days and the idea of inappropriate behavior was unacceptable.

 

[sestoppelman]

I know such things were legal in the 50's and maybe the early 60's, but the 70's?? Lots of pilots on here. Maybe one has some idea the last year that would have been legal. I tried some searches but came up with nothing.

 

[Ray B]

Seems DB Cooper hijacked the plane in 1972, which was when the airlines started enforcing some of the rules that may have been in existence, but were commonly ignored in the interior of Alaska. I went to Alaska 1971 or 2- at any rate before the problems started. I don't know that a recently ex-Marine with a rifle could have been helpful in the DB Cooper situation, but it may have prevented a plane from crashing into the Pennsylvania woods on Sept 11, 2001.

 

[Wheels]

I don't know that a recently ex-Marine with a rifle could have been helpful in the DB Cooper situation, but it may have prevented a plane from crashing into the Pennsylvania woods on Sept 11, 2001.

If I had been on United Flight 93, I would have loved having an armed ex-marine on board!