Was Flying in the 80s Really Better Than It Is Now?
Jeff Edwards January 28, 2020
Boeing 727-22, Taken 1980
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A member recently posed the question to fellow FlyerTalkers, “Were the Early 80s Really That Much Better on UA Than Now?” For some, the answer was an unequivocal “Yes!” but others suggested that nostalgia over the “Friendly Skies” of the 1980s is simply longing for good ol’ days that never were. Although beauty is very much in the eye of the air traveler, there is very little doubt from the recollections of frequent flyers that the United Airlines experience today is much different than the experience 40 years ago.
United Airlines ad reel released May 1984
Fine Dining at 40,000 Feet
Comparing United Airlines’ inflight dining of the early ’80s with today’s fare would be like comparing apples and caviar. On the other hand, a few FlyerTalkers note that the current impressive lounge system for elite flyers makes the dining less important than before.
“I flew UA’s first TPACS–SEA/NRT and SEA/HKG–in F soon after the routes were awarded. 747 SP aircraft were used, and first class was in the nose, forward of the cockpit. In addition to the differences in experiences pointed out in previous posts, inflight service was totally different,” FlyerTalker artvandalay recounted fondly.
“Excellent wines, and when you ordered a cocktail, two were provided. TPACs offered “five cart service” with real china and silver, and included a salad mixed at your seat (with choice of dressings not served in individual plastic tubes), Moet or Dom, Russian vodka and caviar, choice of entrees (lobster, carved beef), fruit and cheese cart, dessert cart with multiple indulgent choices, and cordials. Service was very attentive and never rushed. Overall, the experience was not unlike dining in a fine restaurant.”
Image Source: FlyerTalker AlreadyThere shared a Pan Am menu from which passengers part of their frequent flyer program could order a day in advance of their flight.
While the menus and service won’t be as impressive as the first-class dining of yore, other frequent flyers argue that the United Airlines premium cabin service is simply a reflection of what modern travelers want and need. There are, after all, other options for those looking to be treated like royalty rather than be (occasionally) left alone.
“In a modern business class product like Polaris, I can eat as much as I possibly would need to (and by the way, despite the comments around here, Polaris food is actually really good), or eat at the lounge before or after a flight; I can lie down and sleep, I can watch movies, I can work. I control my flight experience,” dilanesp countered.
“So sure, if your only goal in life is to have flying replicate a 5 star restaurant, fine, you are going to be disappointed. But I don’t see why it’s even that important that flying replicate a 5 star restaurant, and if you feel otherwise, spring the 8 grand and buy a ticket on one of the international carriers that still offers true F. You’ll get that and more. On the other hand, I think for most travelers, Polaris is a far superior product to old style international F, because it puts the traveler in charge and delivers whatever he or she needs.”
Lie Flat-ish Seats
Image Source: Screenshot of cabin from United Airlines in Seoul video. This Osaka-bound flight was captured to commemorate Pac Day (February 16, 1986), when Pan Am Pacific Operation merged into United Airlines.
While the privacy and comfort of today’s business class far outstrips the lie-flat predecessors available in the ’80s, a workable facsimile was available for the well-heeled. A little extra attention and few amenities lost to time went a long way towards making early versions of the lie-flat seat as cozy as possible.
“My first international first flight was on Pan Am on the upper deck of a 747 to Paris in 1983,” JohnFortWorth recalled. “The ‘Sleeperette’ seat was a standard F seat of the era with a manual leg rest that would fold out and give you a lie flat surface. It was a more primitive version of what most international first seats looked like 20 years ago.”
Caution, Wide Load
Image Source: Diagram of Continental Airlines shared by FlyerTalker bearkatt.
Nearly everyone in the discussion agrees that the wide-body aircraft of yesterday made for a less cramped experience than the quieter and more fuel-efficient single-aisle equipment now used on most domestic routes. A few FlyerTalkers even remember when flying wide-body equipment was something United Airlines prided itself on.
“Speaking of wide-body prevalence,” user JimInOhio recollected, “remember back in the early 80s, UA advertised their ORD-CLE service as ‘All DC-10.’”
Ah, Yes I Remember It Well
Other FlyerTalk evangelists insist that nostalgia over both music and United Airlines in the 1980s is woefully misplaced. There are, after all, a litany of reasons air travelers in 2020 have it much better than our legroom-having-forefathers.
“No denying the inflight caviar service levels were better and for the most part, the ground experience was better (although the lounges and airport services are for the most part better today and more accessible), but the prices were much higher and the ability to travel was more restricted,” WineCountryUA offers.
FlyerTalker Kurt shared a timetable of United Airlines’ international route network from March 2, 1983.">Image Source: FlyerTalker Kurt shared a timetable of United Airlines’ international route network from March 2, 1983.
“The availability of non-stop service to more locations is better today — overall shorter travel times. There a wide range of flight options (post de-regulation). Flight safety is significantly better today (MAX or not). So yes, as a luxury experience, yesterday was better; but in many other ways, today is better for many. Understand some would want the service of yesterday but for the most part that has proven financially not possible today. (not that it has to drop as lower as UA is).”
Both in-flight dining and in-flight entertainment from 40 years ago have taken a different course: The quality of one declined over time while the other improved exponentially. Now, we are likely traveling with access to more entertainment in our pockets than United Airlines offered passengers during the entire decade beginning in 1980.
“Unless you liked listening to music or movies through a pneumatic tube, there was not much electronic entertainment,” FlyerTalker Wilbur writes. “Serving the meal from a cart was part of how to pass the time, along with a deck of cards. I learned several different card games from attendants on long flights with the old Bicycle playing card decks they handed out at the beginning of flights.”
In-Flight Entertainment
Image Source: FlyerTalker rustykettel found an old “headset” rental receipt. They were similar to a doctor’s stethoscope.
Smoke ‘Em If You Got ‘Em
One thing most air travelers won’t miss is the smoking section. Not surprisingly, allowing smoking in one section of an aircraft cabin meant that everyone on the plane was forced to enjoy the pungent aroma of cigarette smoke.
“What nostalgia,” Long Zhiren marveled. “What about the smoking signs that turned on? And the hazy smoke-filled cabins? The best were the European airlines whose two sections were effectively smoking and chain-smoking. You could look down the aisle of a 747 and see not even half way down the length of the plane because of the smoke. Ah the tulip livery emblazoned complimentary cigarette packs.”
Glorified Bus Stations
While the service and amenities in the air were undoubtedly better in the ’80s than they are today, no one wants to go back to a North American Airport circa 1980. Hot dog rollers and weak coffee are best reserved for truck stops and the Quickie Mart.
“A lot of folks might not remember (or be too young to know) that even up to the late 90s, a lot of airports, even big ones (hello, YYZ), were glorified bus stations with few and awful dining options,” user bart889 reminds us. “The first time I went through AMS in the mid-90s, my first thought was, ‘why can’t we have airports like this in North America?’”
The More Things Change
Image Source: Screenshot of passengers from the United Airlines advertisement reel dressed in suits and ties.
Whether or not FlyerTalkers agree that United Airlines (and air travel in general) was better in the 1980s, there is one point on which nearly everyone agrees—passengers used to dress much, much better—no matter which cabin they were traveling in. There is, of course, some disagreement as to whether or not this was a good thing.
More than a few FlyerTalkers noted that nearly everything looks better in hindsight. This rings true for a passenger in 1983 as it will be for a passenger in 2023.
“Yes it was much better in the 1980s than today…but…even then, not nearly as good as it was in the mid-60s!” ss278 lamented.
What do you miss most about air travel in the early 1980s? Do improvements such as state-of-the-art inflight entertainment, paperless travel and online booking make up for crowded planes and less legroom? The world’s largest expert flyer community will tell you why you’re wrong in the United Airlines MileagePlus forum.
I flew hundreds of flights with United in the 80s - most of them in First Class - and there's no question that the inflight product, especially in First Class, was vastly superior to what passes for "First Class" today. Flying First Class was a lot of fun back then with trolley service on most all flights over 3 hours. I used to often fly United's 700p departure between Seattle and Anchorage. We were presented large 8x11 menus with hors d'oeuvres, salads tossed at your seat, a variety of bread offerings, a choice of three main and one light entree - one of which was always a roast carved seat side. There was a choice of desserts - usually strudel or the ubiquitous ice cream sundae. The service was gracious and the food was good, too. Younger flyers born after 1980 - many of them after 1990 here at FT - like to whine about the Old Timers reminiscing about "The Good Old Days" but I assure you, those kids would too if they'd had it as good as we did compared to the bland food and service offered today. One other note - although airports were pretty basic compared to what we have today, the lounges were generally just as comfortable. At various times in the Seventies and eighties I was a member of Alaska's Board Room, American's Admirals Club, Braniff's Council Club, Delta's Crown Rooms, Eastern's Ionosphere Club, United's Red Carpet Club and Western's Horizon Club. Drinks were free but the food offerings were much more basic with the exception of real mixed nuts.
Don't forget, the "headphones" back then were usually two hoses that plugged into an armrest speaker. The sound was terrible. The fun part would be taking the end of your seat mates hose and blowing into it which provided an earful of wind! You could also talk into the end of another person's hose and carry on a quiet conversation with those things! The food and drink were better in front but in coach it was mini-food. It was free but not good. And no inflight wifi or texting and personal electronics were limited to a Sony Walkman if you had one.
Just saw this article a few days late...I'll comment anyway, WTH... It's really about priorities, isn't it? And state-of-the-art. Unfair to compare technology - it will be better ten years from now, too - but as long as you had state of the art, then no need to complain (back then). Good meals in the sky - yes, still a priority for me. It means more to me than IFE, I can't remember the last time I watched an inflight movie (or at home, for that matter). I read books back then (started flying late 70s), I still do that now. I miss taking more non-stops, and on those non-stops, were almost always empty seats. Whole rows sometimes. That rarely happens now. I love today's lounges. For 40 minutes. Then I'm on a plane for 6 hours. Not worth it, generally, except long, long layovers. But what I miss most is manners. Sorry, people. I'd trade my lie-flat for a tray that hasn't had someone's bare feet on it. I'd trade my steak dinner if I didn't have to play arm-rest roulette while doing it. I'd give up my book., if a steady stream of drunken budget flyers would stop banging my elbow on their next trip to pee all over the bathroom floor. I miss when people put strangers before themselves, and that is hardly more obvious anywhere than at today's airports. Yes, many things are better now, but that isn't one of them.
Yes - I'll take 80's anytime. If you bought a ticket - you were certain you'll be there. If anything happened to your flight, or you were a little late - you could take your ticket to any airline. And the airlines were not cheating like today - the flight number was the flight number - no code-share smokescreen, the flight time was the time - and if the door was not closed you could get on it -- unlike today's fake-departure time which prevents you from boarding the flight 10 minutes before the time even if the door is still open. Not to mention the fact that if the airline caused damages you could sue them as the Constitution provided without the garbage prohibitions of the deregulation act.
Any article like this about the "good ol' days" *has* to start by mentioning fares. The reason you got a meal, legroom, free drinks and a pillow was fares were much higher than they are today (adjusted to today's dollars). I remember 20+ years ago YVR-DEN return without a Saturday stay was $1500 in 1999 dollars. My parents were well-off middle class, yet when we flew back to England in the 1970s my dad had to take out a bank loan to pay the fares.