There were smoking sections on planes. If you didn't like cigarette smoke, even if you weren't in a smoking section, too bad!
Also, no E-tickets was a real pain. I recall one of my relatives who lost the paper tickets needed for a trip back from a family vacation. She had to buy a new ticket at the airport, which couldn't have been inexpensive.
My family took trains more back then, especially for last-minute trips when plane tickets would have been outrageously expensive.
People gripe about air travel today, but I think that it's better: much more technology, much more ability to get inexpensive fares at the last minute and get information yourself about fare options, and the ability to pay what I think are reasonable amounts for benefits that you want.