Flying in the 60s compared to now!
Jan 13, 2012 | 8:05 pm
#16
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Bay Area
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Posts: 3,851
^ 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.
Jan 13, 2012 | 8:10 pm
#17
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Programs: United MileagePlus Silver, Nexus, Global Entry
Posts: 8,810
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.
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.
Jan 13, 2012 | 11:13 pm
#19
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Indianapolis
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Posts: 7,385
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...
TSA guy were bagage handlers back then working for tips...
Jan 14, 2012 | 12:27 am
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
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Jan 14, 2012 | 12:51 am
#21
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: CLE
Programs: UA,WN,AA,DL, B6
Posts: 4,365
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.
Jan 14, 2012 | 10:21 am
#22
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: USA - HNL, SEA, DEN, ORD, MCO, and all points inbetween
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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.
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.
Jan 14, 2012 | 4:46 pm
#23
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Hustletown
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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.
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.
Jan 14, 2012 | 6:02 pm
#24
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: South Louisiana
Posts: 193
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.
Jan 14, 2012 | 6:16 pm
#26
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: LGA - JFK
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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.
