Kevin AA

I remember getting a meal in coach or a snack if the flight was short. The first time I had french toast was on a UA flight from MCI-DEN.

I loved flying out of my hometown of Lynchburg, VA on a Piedmont 737 to their CLT hub. It was a big deal for a 737 to be at that tiny airport. And the plane had stairs in it! It was so cool! Those are gone of course because of the weight -- leave the airstairs at the airport. I also flew out of ROA on Piedmont and IAD on UA which aren't too far away. I remember flying itineraries like LYH-CLT-ATL-SHV with the first flight on Piedmont and the second two on Delta.

The legroom was acceptable, the staff was always friendly, security a breeze, and flights rarely ever full. If you were flying within Texas, you could fly Southwest for a low fare at any time. In their schedule book they even included the fares for each city pair -- peak fare and off-peak fare.

Not sure about other big airports, but I know back then DFW had really crummy food places. They were all run by DFW airport. It was like being at an amusement park -- monopoly prices and poor quality

The DFW inter-terminal train was fun to ride but it was slow and only ran in one direction. But you didn't need it to change planes unless you were changing airlines (AA operated out of 2E and 3E, now A and C, connected by walkway). The train also took you to long term parking. The new train is much faster and goes in two directions.

I collected airline schedules and route maps. I wish I had saved them.

wendyg

In the mid-1970s - before Walkmans - I bought one of the first small portable cassette recorder/players, a bit bigger than a deck of cards, and mono, not stereo. Anyway, I was listening to some stuff I'd recorded in local folk clubs on it when a stewardess (as they were then) came by and asked me to turn it off because it was interfering with the navigational systems.

I couldn't see any way it could possibly be doing that. It had no radio in it.

Nonetheless, I turned it off. A little while later she came back. No, I hadn't turned it on again. She eventually found someone with I think a portable radio or TV or some stupid thing.

wg

mauld

Security was almost non existent, I can remember a trip I was supposed to make with my husband from Newark to Phoenix on CO. He cancelled at the last minute and I ended up taking my mother. I was able to use his ticket for her with no questions asked (his name is Doug, and my mom doesn't look anything like a 'Doug'. Another time on a trip to FLL, same situation, this time my mom was parking the car and I went to check in, they asked where 'Doug' was and I said in the parking lot, they said 'ok' and checked him/her in and handed me back the tickets.

miamiflyer8

I miss the security situation the most. Can't stand the smurfs these days who think they are law enforcement.

Wilbur

And yet, despite NOT spending trillions of dollars or using the Fourth Amendment as toilet paper, security in the 80's wasn't incompetent.

[Anecdotal evidence alert]

Once in 1981 my mum had a steak knife in her purse (why?!) when we went to pick up my dad, and the retired sheriff's deputy at the airport found it right away and held onto it until we came back out. His name was Glenn, and he once let me use his radio when we were waiting for a delayed flight. I am pretty sure that he spent most of his time smoking unfiltered Camels and reading Western paperbacks all day in a chair tilted back against the wall at the entrance to the passenger terminal, yet somehow we weren't less safe.

747FC

Sorry, but that is hogwash...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...jackings#1980s

Wilbur

Please note that the listing you provided included a grand total of three (3) incidents involving airport security in the USA during the 1980s.

One of these included a crazy man whose claim of having a bomb was false (http://www.nytimes.com/1983/01/21/us...-on-coast.html). The TSA is still vulnerable to wild claims, so no change there.

Another one was a mental patient who took over a plane with a cigarette lighter ( ). Do we really think the TSA is a strong defense against Zippo-based terror?

The latter guy was lured off the plane with a promise of coffee and cigarettes, so I think I will stick with my assertion that air travel was reasonably safe in the 1980s despite the lack of the TSA.

dtremit

That has more to do with the ticketing system than the security climate. AA could simply send your paper ticket in and get the fare you paid.

NW continued to honor other airlines' tickets until near the end of its operation -- they called the program BUMP, for Bring Us More Passengers. I used it several times after 9/11. E-tickets made it very hard for them to actually make it work, though.

BC Shelby

...ahh where to begin?

Choices so many choices compared to today. Deregulation appeared to be working fine early on. There were still the origianal majors, (though once colourful Braniff transitioned to become a low fare domestic airline). Then there were the new carriers, formed by either consolidation of existing carriers or as new startups (some would say "upstarts").

Regional carriers like North Central, Southern, USAir (Allegheny), and Piedmont began to serve new longer range markets (the latter two offering service to London UK with the then new 767) often competing against the major trunk carriers. Former intrastate carriers like Air Cal, PSA, and Southwest expanded service beyond their states' borders.

I felt it was the best era for plane spotting as so many airlines were expanding service almost overnight and so many different aircraft types were still in use.

We were however reaching the end of the road for the "classics" like the 707, 720, and older DC-8s however thanks to a re-engining with high bypass CFM turbo fans, old "Stretch" lived on into the 1990s with both Delta and United. (I still remember flying a Super 61 that had the old JT3s between SEA to DEN and MKE to DEN). The 727 200 and Advanced 200 became the workhorse for many airlines (the new Braniff used them exclusively) and a common sight at many airports. McDonnell Douglas countered with it's DC9 Super 80 (later to be designated the MD80) which was possibly their most popular product.

Then there were the widebodies, not just 747s, DC-10s and L-1011s, but Airbus 300s and 310s as well as Boeing's next generation twin aisle plane, the 767. It was pretty easy to get a widebody on many fights back then, even on relatively short segments (the shortest I flew on was between SEA and PDX on an L-1011 on TWA). My old hometown of MKE was served by 747s and DC-10s regularly on Northwest, United, and Continental (today about the biggest plane you can fly to/from MKE on is a 757 on Delta as teh smaller regional jets now dominate service there).

As mentioned elsewhere, Frequent Flier programmes, once exclusive "clubs" for business travellers, were opened to anyone who flew. Indeed, I racked up a lot of miles in the 80s and 90s often times using awards for class upgrades rather than free tickets (Northwest had the best plan, 10,000 miles for a first class upgrade to your current ticket 20,000 miles for a round trip ticket a minimum award of 750 miles, and mileage awarded for each segment when connecting rather than based on origin to final destination).

However the 80s were also the beginning of the end as consolidation began to thin the ranks, Delta acquired Western. North Central, Southern, and Hughes combined to form Republic which in 1987 was swallowed up by Northwest. TWA acquired Ozark and moved their midwest hub from the then spacious facilities at MKC to cramped St Louis Lambert. American acquired Air Cal. USAir (Allegheny re-branded) acquired both Piedmont and PSA. Pan American, once exclusively an international service carrier, merged with National to get domestic feed routes (a side effect of deregulation was that ticketing through on two different carriers was no longer allowed unless there was a codeshare/interline agreement)

Then there were failures, Frank Lorenzo gutted Eastern to keep Continental afloat and both airlines ended up in bankruptcy (Eastern finally suspending service in the 1991). Under Carl Icahn, TWA became little more than a second rate airline due to cost cutting measures. Pan American, once our nation's flag carrier to the world, became financially stressed trying to compete in both the domestic and international air travel market eventually ceasing service in 1991 as well. As I mentioned Braniff International suspended service, then reappeared as a low fare single class airline, only to go out of business before the end of the decade (a third attempt to resurrect the airline using Airbus 320s in the 90s failed to even get off the ground).

The 80s were also the era of a practise known as "overbooking". If you had to be somewhere at a specific time this was a major inconvenience. If you didn't it often came with a reward if you voluntarily gave up your seat. This included rebooking on next available flight out (on any airline), bonus mileage awards, discount/upgrade vouchers, and even free round trip domestic ticket coupons. As I often was travelling for leisure rather than business, and didn't need to be at my destination "now" I would frequently give up my seat if I were at a hub airport. I've been placed in business, first (either on the same airline or another they booked me on), and received several of those round trip ticket coupons.

Back to the positives.

Airlines didn't nickel and dime you for every little thing in those days. There were no luggage fees unless you exceeded piece/weight limits, meals were still provided as part of your ticket price, and depending on the flight there were complementary cocktails, wine, and beer offered in all classes of service (this tended to occur particularly if the plane was delayed for a length of time).

As others have mentioned, security at airports was pretty basic and mostly handled at the point of boarding rather than entry to the concourse, so it was easier for family and friends to see you off or welcome you home. You didn't have to stand in long lines, take your shoes off, get poked and prodded, or walk through an X-ray booth. If the sensor at the gate beeped, you took any metallic objects out of your pockets, showed that you had a metal belt buckle if you were wearing one, and went through again usually with no trouble the second time (I love the airport scene from the film High Anxiety, it was almost like that at times).

Yeah a lot different than today. I rarely fly any more because the experience is no longer enjoyable as it once was. Today airlines try to pack as many passengers as possible in to where I find I actually have more legroom on a city transit bus than in what I now call "steerage" class. There is no more complementary inflight service (unless you fly first and even that has been scaled back). Most airlines charge fees for services that were once covered in the ticket price (surprised there's not a CC slot on the loo door yet). None accept cash for onboard purchases any more so if you don't have a CC, it can be a "long" flight. I've even heard some airlines are now charging a premium for exit row, bulkhead, and aisle seats. Not about to try and squeeze my tall arthritic frame into one of those cursed middle seats to save a few zlotys.

The other sad part is, the choice of who to fly is terribly limited today compared to what it once was. You have the "big three", and Southwest with their "cattle call" boarding policy.

Looking back, what was once touted as a stimulus to promote more competition in the airline industry (Deregulation) ended up leaving us with less options, service, and quality than we had before it was enacted in 1978.

dliesse

I just remembered one other major change over the years: seat assignments.

When I started flying, seats were assigned only on longer flights, and then only at the gate (SFO-ORD had assigned seats, SFO-LAX in the "California Commuter" all-coach 727-100 did not). They might just write your seat assignment on your ticket folder (see "Airport" in either movie or book form -- either is highly accurate in its depiction of airline operations, aside from the cockpit communications) or they might peel a sticker off a big seating board.

I have a 1976 copy of UA's version of the OAG (for the record, I also have collected dozens of OAGs and over 1000 timetables) that shows the seat assignment policy for each flight segment. There were four possibilities, even that late:

1. Proactively offer advance seat assignment in F, available for the asking in all classes.

2. Advance seat assignment available in all classes.

3. Advance seat assignment available in F, airport assignment in other classes (airport assignment would be at the gate at large airports, at the ticket counter in smaller locations like SLE, EUG, or even SJC).

4. Seat assignments in F, open seating in other classes.

Some multi-segment flights might drop their category as the flight progressed. For example, flight 610 flew SFO-SBA-LAX-MEM-TYS-DCA (or something similar; the first three are correct, and it was definitely one of those LAX-MEM/HSV/BHM flights). At any rate, it started as a 2 from SFO, dropped to 3 from SBA and LAX, and to 4 from MEM and TYS (again, maybe not exactly right -- I'm at the office now and the book is at home).

And another thing: who remembers the plastic inserts for the flight boards at the gate, showing the flight number, departure time, and destinations? I remember once pointing out to an agent at ORD gate F-1 that I didn't think the flight was going ORD-MKG-GJT-LAN-CLE (they had Grand Junction up instead of Grand Rapids). And then there were the large, mechanical display boards in the lobbies at SFO and ORD (and elsewhere, but those were my primary airports).

ORD-TGU

I have enjoyed reading this thread, full of nostalgia. The earliest flight I recall was as a child in the early 80's, on Eastern to the US, Taca to MSY and TanSahsa to Miami. I do remember the smoking, food service, bulky non wheeled luggage, customs forms, etc.

But, when I think about all the present day amenities, like TSA precheck, airport lounges, modern airports, atms, cell phones, gps, email, inflight entertainment, modern aircraft, noise canceling headphones, paperless tickets, online reservations and seat assignments, mileage programs, INEXPENSIVE tickets, Global entry, safer aircraft, expanded global network, longer distance flights, etc, etc...

I ask myself, is it better or worse than before?

Just like a kid, even to this day, I do get excited when travelling. But what I love about today is how affordable and easy it is to travel.

Last thing, many write about more comfortable seats. Maybe more legroom, but most did not have adjustable headrests and that was torture!

OTD

Not sure if these were still used in the '80s, but I remember when all the seats had removable cloth (in the '60s) and paper (later) covers for the tops of the seat backs, for when men thought a little dab (of hair grease) will do ya!

rustykettel

I remember paperish antimacassars on United into the 90's. Still have them on foreign carriers.

Artpen100

On the other hand, the behavior onboard international flights was much worse than today. I saw FAs just ignore stuff that today would get the person arrested, and possibly the plane turned around. And I attribute that to the overall security situation.

Not that I am defending the TSA, but at least I have not had anything ridiculous, like complaining that my shaving cream was a half an ounce oversized, in many years.

TravelingNomads

The airlines gave me (child) a free ticket and my aunt one at 50% after my mother passed away so that we could bury her near her family. The FA also went out of her way to bring my little 1 yr old sister handmade toys (cups, stirrers,etc), me extra treats. They even offered the adults one free mini bottle of booze after the flight went through some terrible turbulence. We literally were all panicking. I think they even had a coloring book for me, but I'm not 100% sure.