Seat 2A

For any of you that are having a slow day, I thought I’d post a few First Class menus from years past. It’s interesting to compare and see the differences in inflight services over the years. Some airlines offered more elaborate service than present day standards, while others were comparatively basic.

The following menu is from an Air Canada flight between Paris and Montreal in 1977.
There were only two entrée selections, but then perhaps passengers were already full from chowing down on all those delicious appetizers.

Bon Apetite!

** *** **

A I R C A N A D A

Paris to Montreal

LUNCHEON

To Begin
Iranian Beluga Caviar

Appetizers
Poached Salmon with Herbs
Duckling Supreme Montmorency
Galantine with Truffled Foie Gras
Pearl Onions a la Grecque

Salad
Caesar Salad

Main Course

Chateaubriand Perigueux
or
Veal Cutlet Jurassienne

Accompaniments
Bouquetiere of Vegetables

** *** **

International Cheese board Service

Dessert
Savarin with Fruit
Bavarian Cream with Grand Marnier
Apricot Sherbet

Basket of Fruit

** *** **

AFTERNOON TEA

Assorted Reception Sandwiches
Petits Fours
Fresh Fruits


** ** ** ** **


WINE LIST

Champagne
Moet & Chandon
Charles Heidesieck

Rhine
Nierstein

Bourgogne
Pouilly Vinzelles Saint Veran 1972
Chateau de Mercey 1973
Cote de Beaune Village 1974
Fleurie 1973

Bordeaux
Chateau Ferrande – 1973
Chateau Montlabert – 1971
Chateau Lorette 1971

** *** **

Next Up:
Philippine Airlines
First Class circa 1995
Manila – Bangkok – Paris

pallensf

Now THAT'S flying 1st class...

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Patrick A. Inouye, LMT
volunteer trip reports moderator

aw

Thanks for the insight. The choices for entree seem rather limited but the appetizer course sounds extravagant. Caviar is only a memory these days with the exception of a handful of carriers. Presentation must have been extravagant in following with the Classic French tradition.

Raldal

Try this Menu from a 1972 LH F Class flight. In those days multi stop routings were the norm:

TYO - HKG (about a 4 hour Flight)

Hors d'oeubres from the trolley
Caviar Sevruga Malossol
Japaneese hors d'oeuvres "Sushi"
Langoustines on Vegetable Salad
Smoked Ham with Melon
Smoked Salmon with orange horse radish
Sea food salad
White Mushroom Salad
Salad "Opera Style"
Toast and Butter

Clear ox-tail soup
Cheese Sticks

Entrees
Tenderloin Steak broiled on the skewer
or
Fish stew "Hanseatic Style"
with
Assorted Vegetables
Sauce Hollandaise
Buttered Rice
Parsley Potatoes

Lettuce and Tomato Salad

Fruit Tartlet
Fresh Fruit
Variety of Cheese
Bread. Butter
Freshly Brewed Coffe
German Brandy, Cocnac, Liquers
Choclates

Next Sector - HKG - BKK

Speciality "Country Style"
Truffled goose-liver "Strasbourg Style"
Smoked Salmon with creamed Horse Radish
Spicy sea food salad
Toast and Butter

Entree
Roast Knuckle of veal "Bavarian style"
Assorted Vegetables
Sauce Hollandaise
Parsley Potatoes
Buttered Rice

Mixed Salad with Various Dressings

Apple Strudel
Fresh Fruit

Assorted Cheese
Variety of Bread
Butter

German DRAUGHT Beer (I remeber this - got a glass full of froth)!!

Next Leg BKK - DEL
Dinner
Broiled lobster "Thermidor"
Toast and Butter

We offer for your choice
Poached fillets of Sol in whitw wine
Chicken Fricassee Berlin Style
Ragout of Veal Karlsbad Style
Smoked Loin of Pork in red wine sauce
Braised Beef Rhineland Style
Venison in Juniper-flavored sauce
with
Assorted Vegetable
Sauce Hollandaise
Buttered Rice
Parsley Potatoes

Lemon Sorbett
Assorted cheese
Rolls-Butter

Freshly Brewed Coffe
German Brandy, Cognac, Liquers
Choclates

Next Leg DEL- KWI
Night Snack
Assorted Smorgesbrod (Sandwiches)
Fruit Salad with maraschino
Beverages of your choice

Final Leg KWI - FRA
Light refreshment
Fresh fruit for your choice
(For our boarding Passengers we have a night snack available)

Breakfast

Grapefruit
Orange Juice

Yoghourt
Cornflakes
Bread- Rolls- Toast
Buuter - Jam - Honey

Assorted Colde cuts
Egg Dish
Cheese

Coffee - Tea

Reading the above you could see you were on a German Flight!!.

(BY the way - after all the meal services complimentary Cigarettes/Cigars were offered.)

jongar

now that would have been a time to travel...

Seat 2A

And - they managed to load all that food into a comparatively tiny 707 galley.

Uli

... and you were allowed to smoke after dinner ...

anyway i think the seating comfort was really inferior compared with today flat beds

pallensf

Thank you too Raldal...NICE!

LH in the 70s - how perfect, it does make me wonder where in a 707 galley all that food was stored.

Also, I would like to see a cabin shot of a 707 1st class section. Hmmmmm.

Blessings...

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Patrick A. Inouye, LMT
volunteer trip reports moderator

Shareholder

Yes, I remember these flights to LHR and CDG. The chateaubriand was carved on the trolley and plates prepared in "French" service.

AC also had a very nice leather amenity bag containing Hermes products, and also gave gifts: diaries, porcelain bottles of maple syrup, leather business card folders. For a period of time, they gave Group of Seven print reproductions. I collected most of the collection that year, and they were not too bad looking: Actual size of the real painting, textured finish to the "paint", etc.

Really liked their L1011s.

Bretteee

In the mid-70's I used to fly TWA First on 707's and 747's with the bar upstairs and yes indeed, the seats were a joke compared to F and C today. And yes they served caviar etc which I hate, but frankly the food on TWA transatlantic was very unimpressive.

They were very proud that your roast was carved by your seat. And it was always the same menu.

IndyDavid

There are a few on Airliners.net:

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/043560/L
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/038883/L
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/038882/L

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AIM: RutherfordMurray

pallensf

Thanks IndyDavid...

Loved the pics...

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Patrick A. Inouye, LMT
volunteer trip reports moderator

gwaldner

Does anybody know what kind of menu choices Air Canada has on their North American destinations? I am flying Winnipeg to Toronto, Toronto to Atlanta in July and flying executive class all around. Also, I know they offer gluton free meals, has anyone tried them? Or should I just bring my own?

millsdale

I would kill to be able to smoke a cigar on any of the top tier F classes like LH, SQ CX etc. After that nice meal have a smoke with XO cognac or 21 year old single malt. Oh those were the days (except for the seats)

SFO777

Wow, resurrecting a 9 year old thread.
Anyway, welcome to FT.
Here is a more relevant thread from the AC forum.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/air-c...l-service.html