^ to this. If I were around in the '60s, I would never have set foot on a plane. I kind of like the current system where even someone on an average US/European salary can afford to jet off to pretty much anywhere in the world.

Bingo.

I was born in 1967. When you listen to my parents talk you realize that back then flying was a perk for the well-to-do.

In 1971 my parents flew our family back to England for a holiday - 2 adults, 2 kids. They had to take out a bank loan to afford the coach class airfares.

You want to experience free meals, good seats, free liquor and good service transcon today? Buy a business class ticket. You'll still pay less, indexed to today's dollars, than an economy class ticket transcon would have cost you in the 60s.

...a fact most people choose to conveniently forget.

It was easier to fly to Cuba from the U.S. in the early '60s.

In the 60s we had C 47s, 2 engines AA out of Indy, and they even let you on the plane to look around while it was on the ground....

TSA guy were bagage handlers back then working for tips...

Yeah, whether you wanted to or not! :D

Youth Standby half fare. This is when I reallly started flying as kid. I never was deined a flight, always seats. One Saturday I was suppose to get a haircut. I flew standby CLE-PIT on a NW 727 and got my haircut at the PIT airport. From what I recall price was only 7 buckes each way.

I remember NO storage bins above the seats, just corded racks, like being on a bus.
Strangely, I was on a plane that had this configuration in the late 80's during a peak travel holiday. They must have dragged this airship out of mothballs to cover the holiday load.

I had a similar experience around 1987, but it wasn't a mothball situation. I was flying El Al, on a 707 (the last time I can remember being on one of those aircraft). They had the open storage racks on that plane. I remember, even then, thinking that it was odd.

Yes. My flight yesterday, CO 47, FRA to IAH, was staffed with several seniors.

The #2, #3 and #9 on the seniority list were on board and gave better service then those many many years younger on previous flights.

No wheeled luggage in the 60s!

Not so odd now that you mentioned it, on a mainland China flight CAT to HKG in Feb. 1986, might've been a narrow-body 707, a 40 minutes flight to the good old Kai Tak Airport. Boarding from the tarmac on stairs and the plane started moving before everyone find their seats & stowed their luggages into the bins overhead, corded racks/bins like those on Greyhounds. FA handed out tiny 8 oz juice boxes and a fruit, perhaps it was a banana (you start losing memory with age ...) as it was a very short flight and seat belt & no-smoking signs were on most of the time, not that many pax cared - could barely see from end to end with them lighting up, LOL.

Even the kid's wearing a blazer
 

Except for the cigarette thing, I'm ready to go.
Transport me back to 1961!

http://ocdeals.ocregister.com/files/...eFoodOnset.jpg

Compare with now...
 

http://images.dailydawdle.com/need-pants-t0-fly.jpg



Mods, if this post is deemed offensive please delete it!
Just meant as humor :)

LOL!!! :D

Classic!