catman, tell me about it. I was born in Dec. '63 and obviously missed much of these goings-on. I was intrigued one of the last times I was on a UA 747-100 (2 class domestic/hawaii) from ORD to SEA and saw an dumbwaiter which was used to move trays of meals from the MAIN DECK up to the upper deck. Seemed really strange. I'd seen them from the lower deck to the main deck on other widebodies (L-1011 etc) but this was interesting. Apparently they didn't have ovens upstairs.

PremEx: Do you remember the sleeping compartments on Pan-Am's Intercontinetal flights?

What fun that was...
MF

Oh yes! Of course, I never....

Premex: I think what I was talking about was that piano bar. And it was delightful! Who cares how long the flight is if you enjoy it?

premex: Yes. I remember that downstairs table thing. Whre did it go? How old are we? I was flying intercontinental in the '70s and flown outside CONUS (except on vacation) since 1983!

QuietLion: If you check your bags, you don't have to carry them upstairs.

Catman: Yes, I think the Southwest story WAS my story, and I think something like, "When Flying Was Fun" might make a good book. I'm reading messages from all sorts of people on this thread who were born in the '60s (Including you). I was born in 1931 and I'm still flying. Did we even have airplanes then? Anyhow - I see in the people who frequent this site a recollection of their earlier days and a desire to keep telling others how it really is. There are obviously a couple of journalists who sign on regularly - my wife and I are thinking about becoming travel writers when she retires in another year or so - someone could surely do the job, and I think it would sell.

Phil, I actually started checking bags this year. I just turned 39 and I must be getting old.

Upstairs on SAA (South African Airways). It is a fourteen and a half to fifteen and a half hour flight. Upstairs is coach on SAA. There are three flight attendents (more per capita than the back of the plane). I have been lucky enough to get the exit row on most occaisions, oodles and oodles of space, like three meters. Like the side bins too. It is mostly a nighttime flight, both ways, so the lack of window is no big deal (on the exit row). You feel like you have your own little plane and not part of a cattle cart, like the back downstairs. Only issue is the carry-on luggage, cannot have "flight attendant" wheeled luggage.

Upstairs definitely. I like the side bins for
holding my stuff and for larger things, I'll usually sneak something into the closet near
the stairs. I agree with those here who have
said that they like upstairs because it's sort of "verboten territory" and you don't
have to worry about the kids tromping up and
down while you're trying to sleep.

Downstairs you have to worry about being stuck in front of the movie screen when you
just want to sleep or just plain not subjected to whatever's on.

Peeling the onion of my mind, I do recall years ago on a -100 going ORD->HNL, sneaking
up the stairs(spiral!) and hanging out for a while 'til the purser chased my brother and I out (We were like 11 or 12 at the time)
It was actually a lounge then w/ plastic molded tables and chairs....

Jetdillo -- in the "good ol' daze" when I was still young flying LAX/HNL every couple of weeks, the upstairs lounges were my realm. The fact that some geek discovered a way to put seats up there and maximize revenues still rates as one of my biggest disappointments...

Many a college tuition check was made playing backgammon in the upstairs lounge of an AA 747-100...

And please guys -- I don't need the drool cup yet!!!!!!!

I remember in the Mid 80s that Continental (before Business First) had their "pub" service in the DC-10s where it was a stand-up bar. I enjoyed that flying LAX/HNL on business when the last thing I wanted to do at 9 am was look at a movie in the dark with those nasty pointy headsets--you could go forward into the lounge, snack and get daylight.

Basically, I guess it depends on what type of aircraft and what airline you fly to know if
upstairs is better than down. I'm sorry I've
missed some of the upstairs attractions (like
the standing bar...) Maybe it's on other
aircraft, I have yet to see one.

Onefreeman... I've met you and you certainly
don't need a drool cup. You and Rae have more
youth in you than I do (especially after a long day trying to make lemonaides out of
Pineapple in the land of news... CATMAN)

When I flies on a 757 or DC-9, I prefer to sits in the upstairs places.

Roberto, when I'm on a 757 or DC-9, I do too!
I hate being in the hold!

onefreeman:
Maybe you could confirm this(taking you up on your remark about the drool cup):
Didn't the 707 at one point have a forward lounge area off to one side?

Far back in the mists of ancient memory, I seem to recall seeing photos of this in one of the many zillions of aircraft and aviation books I owned as a kid, but haven't been able to find any reference to it since.