Originally Posted by
Seat 2A
Man oh man! How I wish I were one of the lucky few to have experienced Braniff's First Class service aboard The Big Orange Pumpkin 747 flying daily between Dallas and Honolulu. What a treat that would have been compared to the Coach style schlock that passes for "First Class" service these days. Back then, most people dressed up for a flight in First Class. These days, most people look like they're going to 7-11 for a quart of milk. Eh - Whatever... Times have changed and since most of us up front are there via free upgrades, it's a classic case of you get what you pay for. But - once upon a time, it was a different world we lived in - a much better and simpler world, devoid of today's overpopulation and resultant stresses. As for flying back then, most of us of a certain age can only drool at the memories of when many U.S. airlines offered some of the finest inflight service in the world. Let's head upstairs to the International Lounge for a Pisco Sour and some hors d'oeuvres while we check out the menu for tonight's meal..,
BRANIFF INTERNATIONAL
Honolulu to Dallas
Served upstairs in the International Lounge
Pisco Sour or your favorite cocktail with Mixed Nuts
Served on the Main Deck with your cocktail
Pineapple Hawaiian Chicken Breast Neva with Ham Roulade Argenteuil and Deviled Eggs
The Salad
Cardini Caesar Salad with Caesar or Roquefort Dressing
CARVED AT YOUR TABLE
Roast Tenderloin
Sauce Bercy with Lobster Tail Split in shell with Lemon Butter
or
Filet of Sole Orientale
Duckling Bigarade
French Lamb Chops in Tarragon
Assorted Garden Vegetables
Wild Rice with Fresh Mushrooms
Stuffed Baked Potato
SWEETS
Crepes Suzette
Fresh Fruit
FROM THE CHEESE BOARD
Port Salut
Colombian Coffee ~ Cappuccino ~ Dessert Mints
Don't know if Braniff did it with the 747 but with their 707-320C that flew the same route in the early '70s in first class the "cart" was a surfboard on wheels from which the cocktails and Pu-pus (appetizers in Hawaiian) were served from. In my mind if any U.S. carrier could be called glamorous it was Braniff. An airline with a tremendous sense of style. When Braniff went bye-bye in 1982 that marked the end of the golden age of air travel!