Originally Posted by
teddybear99
I remember a little about my first flight in a 747. I was aboard a flight out of JFK, either flying to Denver, CO or San Diego, CA and it was in the early 70's. I believe it was Continental Airlines, but I am not sure. The point I remember is being taken upstairs to a lounge area and being exposed to a "video" game for the first time, PONG. It was before 1975, as my family moved to South Florida in October, 1975. Can someone help me out with a possible memory kick?
In Continental's first go-round with the 747 (It operated 4 747-124s) it only operated them until January of 1974. During that time CO did not serve either JFK or SAN. Aside from being taken upstairs, the aircraft you describe sounds more like Continental's DC-10-10 which did offer the Pong video game mounted in tables in its mid-cabin Polynesian Pubs. Pong was never offered on Continental's early 747s.
Note the mention of Pub Pong in the lower right side
As to your memories of being "
taken upstairs to a lounge", only one plane fits that bill in the early 1970s. The problem for an inveterate OAG reader like me is that while JFK saw plenty of 747 flights, SAN did not. Domestically, the only 747 service in SAN that comes to mind is a United flight in the late 70s that was a tag-on coming down from LA. Any chance you might have flown upon a chartered flight?