Sigh ...

Indeed. ^

Nearly every day, I dream of being able to fly non-stop from NYC to Jamaica, in just 6.5 short hours, at a cost of nearly $1,500.

http://file.vintageadbrowser.com/l-1yk50n6pr3r13r.jpg

I'm more tempted to fly via Miami to get some 'stop-over privileges'

I wish we could at least go back to the days when flying was a bit more expensive..just to keep the riff-raff on the bus where they belong.

Thanks OP for the link. Had an enjoyable browse through the pages with more to come.^

You're funny.

As a member of the riffrafferie, I'm highly offended at being lumped in with dregs who take the bus

Even better than that web site is the recent book 20th century travel : 100 years of globe-trotting ads (Taschen, 2010). Beautifully reproduced travel posters from the whole century, with many for air travel, but also lots of nostalgic scenes of rail travel.

I think air travel is a victim of its success. When I first started flying, air travel was much more expensive than now and slower, but was an exciting and pleasurable experience. Today, it's cheaper and the planes are faster (though maybe the trip isn't much shorter when you factor in how much longer security takes), but the experience is so humiliating and unpleasant that I'm getting close to deciding it's just not worth it.

"Children, did you know that way back when, when you wanted to take an airplane somewhere, you went to the airport, walked out onto the tarmac, and climbed up some stairs on to the airplane ...?" <wide-eyed disbelief smiley icon>

Is this the official Frequent Flyers who no longer qualify for the "Young FF" thread?

You guys are dating yourselves...

We still do that every time you fly into Quebec City.

You can always charter a jet...

They have stairways at Burbank, too. Best airport ever.

Actually it wasn't just the stairs I was thinking of. Revised version:

"Children, did you know that way back when, when you wanted to take an airplane somewhere, you could just go to the airport, go in the front door, walk right through the airport without answering questions or getting searched, walk out onto the tarmac, and climb up some stairs on to the airplane ...?" <wide-eyed disbelief smiley icon>

Classist much?

I remember every airline having swag for kids even on domestic routes. It was always a joy to get Pan Am wings, Eastern coloring book, United playing cards, ANA inflatable plane, etc. Best of all, kids would be invited into the cockpit midflight to meet the Captain, First Officer, and Flight Engineer (remember them?). Don't ever recall being asked if I like gladiator movies though. After the kids meal, the FAs would bring a nonstop parade of snacks and treats. Those experiences played a large part in turning me into an aviation junkie.

Especially if the airport was YWG in the middle of winter. Did that once and I swear my eyeballs froze.

Thanks for the link. Though I wasn't even born yet during those days.